Donald Trump's plans for the 'most beautiful' arch in Washington DC released
Donald Trump says major cities around the world have large arch monuments, and Washington DC is the only one without one.
US President Donald Trump’s plans for a new triumphal arch in Washington DC include a towering winged figure with a Lady Liberty-like torch and crown, flanked by two eagles and guarded by four lions — all gilded.
The 12-page plan released on Friday by the US Commission on Fine Arts shows the arch will stand 76.2m from its base to the tip of the winged figure’s torch, with “One Nation Under God” and “Liberty and Justice for All” inscribed in gold atop either side of the monument.
The plan indicates the structure would stand between the Lincoln Memorial in the east and Arlington National Cemetery toward the west and within a traffic circle connecting Washington with northern Virginia. The arch would dwarf the Lincoln Memorial, which stands at 30.2m.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Trump wrote on social media that it “will be the GREATEST and MOST BEAUTIFUL Triumphal Arch, anywhere in the World. This will be a wonderful addition to the Washington D.C. area for all Americans to enjoy for many decades to come!”
Trump has said he wants to build the arch near the Lincoln Memorial and argued that the nation’s capital first sought such a monument 200 years ago.
“It was interrupted by a thing called the Civil War, and so it never got built,” Trump said in February.
“Then, they almost built something in 1902, but it never happened.”
Trump has said that major cities around the world have such monuments, and Washington is the only one without one.
The arch is one of several architectural changes Trump is making in his second term. In addition to building a large ballroom at the White House, he has also made changes to the Oval Office and converted the Rose Garden into a stone-covered patio.
The arch goes beyond the White House, giving Trump a chance to leave another lasting monument in a city known for them. It would expand on his earlier talk of sprucing up the city by replacing its “tired” grasses, and broken signage and street medians.
