The Constitution Gardens serves as a memorial to the nation’s founders. It occupies a 50-acre site between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. Because the Constitution Gardens are right next to the National Mall, it is often mistakenly understood as part of the Mall when in fact it is officially a separate, designated area. The gardens feature grove trees lining the paths and a lake with an island in the middle that pays tribute to the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence through a low stone wall that has their signatures carved into it.[1]
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Within the Constitution Gardens sit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which serves as a sharp contrast from the other classical-style monuments you’ll find in the vicinity. The memorial features an enormous black-granite wedge over 245 feet long, which is inscribed with the names of over 58,000 soldiers who died or went missing in the Vietnam War. The height of the wall starts out low but increases dramatically further along the path, reaching 10.1 feet high. Notable is the bronze statue of a group of three soldiers supplemented by a bronze group of women erected to pay tribute to the women who served in the war.[2]
References:
“Constitution Gardens.” < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_Gardens>
Thompson, John, and Richard T. Nowitz. Washington, DC, 2nd Edition. National Geographic Society, 2005. ISBN: 0792238877.
[1] Constitution
[2] Thompson, 100
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