Washington DC

• It’s national capital of the USA, situated on the Potomac river (90 km from the Atlantic ocean), seat of general government of US,
• The city’s area was originally taken from states Maryland and Virginia
• 180 sq. km, population 623,000 (metropolitan area 3,750,000), 70 % black and 30% white

History

• 1790 – Act of Congress = was established the District of Columbia, the site for capital was chosen by President Washington (his private seat 16 miles away – Mount Vernon)
• designed by French engineer Pierre L`Enfant ( his vision was always respected later )
• the city was divided into 4 quadrants ( NW, SW, NE, SE, Capitol as the center )
• 1800 – first used as the seat of Congress
• 1910 – the Height Buildings Act = no building could exceed 15 stories => horizontal and spacious city
• 1960s and 1970s – began a protection of historical building ( better repairing than demolishing )
• 1976 – the Metro trail began to go

Industry and commerce

• Washington never been a major port ( the Potomac river is too shallow )
• Principal industry has always been government ( 360,000 people work in the federally owned buildings ( 40 % of the city’s land )
• National and international organizations
• 150 embassies and consulates
• the World bank
• the International monetary fund ( MMF )
• Organization of American States
• Lobbyists = people, who persuade legislators to support laws helpful to their clients` interests
• Press – The Washington post, The USA today, National geographic, International Wildlife …
• Tourism – 20 million visitors come each years

Transport

• 3 airports
• Washington national airport
• Dulles international airport
• Baltimore – Washington international airport
• Railroad station – Union station
• Bus service
• Greyhoun-trailways ( for long distance )
• Metro bus ( city buses )
• Turn mobile (provides a shuttle service = connects two places for a whole day )
• Metro – five colored lines ( red, blue, orange, green, yellow ), operates on fare card
• Taxi – 3 kinds ( Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC (are the cheapest ))

Places of interest

Capitol

• on the eastern end of the Mall, on Capitol hill, chosen by architect L`Enfant for future Congress,
• some building were added: the Library of the Congress ( = Thomas Jefferson  building ), Union station, City post office, the Folger Shakespeare library, the Supreme Court building
• the Senate wings ( in the north ) and the Houses of representatives wing ( in the south )
• a flag – senate works , no flag – senate doesn’t work
• inspirited by St. Peter’s cathedral ( in Rome )
• on top statue of freedom ( bears the words “ E Pluribus Unum” = Out of many one )
• the seat from 1800
• house chamber – richly decorated, seats of 435 members, form a semi-circle room Democrats on right side, Republicans on left side
• senate chamber – seats of 100 senators ( mahogany desks ), Democrats right side, Republicans left side
• inauguration of the president – held on east staircase

Supreme court

• white building, across the street from the Capitol
• the Court appointed by president
• insession on Mo,Tu, We from October to May

Library of Congress

• contains over 90 million items
• now serves as the national library
• from Thomas Jefferson building into two others structures
• the John Adams building
• James Madison memorial building

Folger Shakespeare library

• largest collection of Shakespeare’s works

The Mall

• the main street of Washington
• connected US Capitol and the Washington monument

the Smithsonian Institution

• many million items
• the buildings along the Mall
• 12 blocks
• you need a week to see it
• 14 museums, national zoo,
• the symbol is red sandstone castle ( visitor’s information center )
• Museum of African art, Arthur M. Sackler gallery (arts of Asia ), National air and space museum, National museum of natural history, National museum of American history…

 National gallery of art

• artefacts from the Middle Ages to present
• especially the Italian works ( Raphael, Tizian, da Vinci …)

National archives

• stores Bill of rights, Declaration of independence ( writer T. Jefferson ), Constitution
• a 1927 version of England’s Magna Charta

the Bureau of Engraving and printing

• print money ( 200 mil. $ per day )

Federal Bureau of Investigation

• FBI laboratory
• Target range

Tidal basin

• famous Japanese cherry
• a gift from Mayor of Tokyo to Washington
• encircle the West Potomac Park and Constitution gardens (parks )

Washington monument

• white marble obelisk, in the middle of the Mall
• 555 ft high and 15 ft wide at the base
• built from memory G. Washington
• only elevator on top, an observation desk
• you can overlook whole Washington
• 8 windows, 2 on each side

Reflecting pool

• connects Washington monument and the Lincoln memorial
• it reflect WM and tLiM

 Lincoln memorial

• commemorate 16th president
• inspirated by Greek architecture, Doric temple
• resembles Parthenon in Athens
• 23 columns ( 1 column = 1 state in time of Lincoln )
• 20 ft marble statue of a seated Lincoln ( he shows A and L in alphabet for deaf people )
• Gettysburg address and inaugural address

Jefferson memorial

• Adaptation of the ancient roman Pantheon, in 20th century
• Commemorate the 3 rd US president
• Ionic temples ( colonnade )
• 19 ft bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson holding the Declaration of Independence

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

• 2 statues
• soldiers died in Vietnam wars
• black nurse died in Vietnam wars
• the wall – granite, names of 58,000 soldiers killed or missing in the Vw

Arlington

• suburb of Washington
• located in Virginia
• Arlington house
• Belonged Robert E. lee ( the south’s great hero )
• Military base
• Union took over the house
• Arlington national cemetery
• The most revered burial ground
• The graves of soldiers since Revolutionary War
• Ivo jima memorial = marine corps memorial ( 5 marines and 1 soldier )
• Graves of H. Taft, J.F.K. ( eternal flame ), Robert Kennedy ( a white cross )
• Tomb of unknown soldier

Pentagon

• Department of defence
• Like fortress
• 17,5 miles corridor
• tour 1,5 miles ( hall of heroes …)
• 23 000 employees

White House

• Pennsylvania avenue 1600
• Seat of president since John Adams
• Oval room – blue carpet, main office of president
• President lives in 2^nd and 3^rd floor
• We can see 6 rooms ( you must buy a guide book )
• The exterior walls made of sandstone
• Eclipse – ceremonial ground, are ceremony are held there
• Easter egg roll – held on Easter Monday, for under eight years of age

 

Theatre, music and opera

John F. Kennedy center for the performing arts

• Concerts, operas, ballets,
• 4 theatres
• the Opera house
• Concert hall ( home of National symphony orchestra )
• American film institute

National theatre

• Established 1835, Pennsylvania avenue
• Current and past Broadway hits ( musicals )

Arena stage complex

• Traditional and experimental production

Ford’s theatre

• Lincoln was killed there by the actor J. W. Booth
• Museum life and death of A. L. in the basement
• On opposite side the house, where A. L. died

Schools

• Georgetown university
• First Catholic institution of higher learning in the country
• In Georgetown
• George Washington university

Georgetown

• Tobacco shipping port
• After owner the plantations
• Residential district
• Historical house
• Foreign embassy
• Shopping center
• shopping mall – George park mall, flee markets
• hotels and restaurants
• crab meat ( = sea food )
• for visiting restaurant you need dress code ( one-piece dress women, men dark suit with tie )
• 3 kinds of restaurants
• budget ( the cheapest )
• inexpensive
• moderate
• the best disco
• drinking age – 21 years

Mount Vernon

• 17 miles south
• home of George Washington
• found it his grandfather (a plantation owner )
• on right side of Potomac river
• garden vegetables and flowers
• slave quarters
• Washington and his wife are buried there

Alexandria

• Born place Washington and R. E. Lee
• Colonial port town
• Architecture reminds architecture of Georgetown
• Craft galleries – paintings
• Old town trolley – cars pushed by horse
• Port – historical ships