Washington DC is located on the east coast of the United States and is the capital and seat of government of the United States. The city attracts many tourists who want to visit the center of power with its famous sights.
Sights that are particularly worth seeing are the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue, the official residence of the American President and the Capitol, seat of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the USA.
Washington is also home to the Supreme Court, the seat of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the Organization of American States.
The city of Washington was named after the first President of the United States, George Washington. The abbreviation DC stands for the Federal District of Columbia. Washington DC is divided into four quadrants Northwest (NW), Southwest (SW), Northeast (NE) and Southeast (SE) with a total of eight counties. Each district has a representative on the city council.
In Washington DC, streets are laid out straight, streets are numbered from north to south, and streets are sorted alphabetically from east to west. Streets running diagonally are called avenues. All directions start at the Capitol, so you can orientate yourself very well when staying in Washington DC.
- Iamaccepted: List of colleges and universities in Washington. Covers all 2-year, 4-year, private and public schools within the state of Washington.
Due to increased security measures, the White House in Washington can only be viewed from a distance. Tours of the White House are hard to come by as you have to apply well in advance.
A tour of the Capitol in Washington is easier to get. The Washington Capitol is open Monday through Saturday. Admission is free, you only need your passport. You can even attend meetings of the House of Representatives.
There are no skyscrapers in Washington DC, the only tall buildings are the Washington Monument, the tower of the Old Post Office, and the Washington National Cathedral.
Many Washington DC attractions are located in the center of the city on a large green space such as the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Capitol and White House. The most important museums of the history of the USA such as the National Archives Building, National Air & Space Museum or the Hirschhorn Museum are also located here.
Climate & Weather in the Capital of America – Washington DC
The weather in Washington DC is a humid comfortable climate. It is not very cold in winter, but snowfall can still occur. In summer, the humidity is very high and the average is 30 ° Celsius. Due to the high humidity at this time of year, however, more rain must be expected.
The best time to go on vacation to Washington and see the sights is spring and fall with pleasant temperatures.
If you are on vacation in Washington DC, it is also a good idea to take a short trip to New York to see the sights such as the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building.
Washington is not only worth seeing because of its government buildings but also because of its history and the many museums.
Capitol – The Capitol in Washington in the United States
The United States Capitol is a landmark located on a plateau (Capitol Hill about 30 meters above the Potomac River) in the capital of the United States in Washington DC It is the seat of the Congress, the legislature (legislature) of the United States of America and the symbol of democracy in the Free World. The Capitol in Washington has hosted the Senate and House of Representatives for over 200 years. The term Capitol comes from Rome from the Capitoline Hill.
The Capitol was built from 1793 to 1800 and extensively expanded and remodeled from 1851 to 1863. After the White House, it was the first major structure in Washington DC.
The building consists of a rotunda with an impressive dome that connects the two wings of Parliament. At the top of the dome stands the six-metre-tall bronze Statue of Freedom on a cast-iron globe.
If you would like to visit the rotunda, you can get there through the United States Capitol Visitor Center. The dome has a diameter of a good 29 meters and a height of almost 55 meters. There are 365 steps from the ground floor to the dome of the cathedral. Under the dome there is an exhibition on the history of the USA and various paintings on the development of the USA.
The Capitol with a floor area of 16,300 square meters has a length of 229 meters, is up to 107 meters wide and has a height of up to 88 meters. It consists of five floors with a total of 540 rooms, 850 corridors and 658 windows.
Older facade parts are still clad in sandstone and limestone, later built parts of the building are framed in more durable marble.
The streets around the Capitol follow a checkerboard pattern. The following streets pass by the Capitol: First Street, Constitution Avenue and Independence Avenue.
Attached to the Capitol is the Capitol Complex containing the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court buildings, the Congress Office buildings, and the electric power plant that supplies the entire complex. The Congressional Subway connects the Capitol to the office buildings.
The building contains many artworks and statues related to US history. In the center of the Capitol is the famous domed hall.
From the Capitol in Washington you have a view of the sights: The Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.
The Washington Capitol is open Monday through Saturday. Admission is free, you only need your passport. You can even attend meetings of the House of Representatives.
The new visitor center at the US Capitol in Washington DC
On December 2, 2008, the United States Capitol Visitor Center opened. The Visitor Center consists of a large entrance hall, security screening rooms, two cinema halls, exhibition rooms, restaurants and conference rooms. This includes a plenary hall with 450 seats, which can be used for meetings.
Address of the Capitol building in Washington DC
Capitol on Captitol Hill in Washington DC
20515 Washington
www.aoc.gov
