Washington

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 446.

1. Washington, the capital of the United States of America stands on the Potomac river in the District of Columbia. The district is a piece of land ten miles square and it does not belong to any separate state but to all states. The district got its name in honour of Columbus, the discoverer of America.

2. The city performs a definite function. It provides a permanent seat of national government. The capital owes much to the first President of the USA – George Washington, who chose the place for the District and founded the Capitol, where Congress sits. Now the Capitol building dominates all Washington, it consists of the great House of Representatives and the Senate chamber. Near the Capitol you can see the Washington monument, which looks like a very big pencil. It rises 100 meters and is hollow inside. A special elevator brings visitors to the top in70 seconds from where they can enjoy a wonderful view of the whole city.

3. The White House, the President residence, is another remarkable place in Washington. All American presidents except George Washington (the White House didn`t exist at that time) lived there. It appeared in the city in 1799. Washington is not the largest city in the USA. It has a population of 900, 000 and its only industry is government. The main output of the city industry are laws and government decisions. One reason Washington looks different from other cities is that no building in the city may be more than 40 metres tall. There are no skyscrapers, because they hide the city's many monuments from view. One can easily find a park, a square or an open area there.

4. The Lincoln Memorial is in the west of the Washington Monument. It reminds a Greek temple by its appearance. The dominant figure is the realistic figure of Abraham Lincoln in the centre of the open temple. The Jefferson Memorial is also very fascinating. It is situated south of the Washington monument near the Potomac River.

5. Washington is a large scientific and cultural centre. There are many research institutes, five Universities, the Library of Congress and the National Academy of Sciences. People from all parts of the United States come to see their capital and the monuments to those who in past centuries struggled for the independence of their country. Every year millions of people visit the Washington Cathedral on Massachusetts Avenue, and the Arlington National Cemetery near the Pentagon in Virginia. Washington is the place where mass demonstrations take place against unemployment and racism, for democracy and civil rights.