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More on the Washington Monument.
At 555 feet and 5/8th inches, it is the world's tallest obelisk, and is made from marble, granite and sandstone. It is also the world's tallest stone structure. My initial reaction was to wonder about the pyramids, but the Great Pyramid of Giza is only about 480 feet tall. The Great Pyramid held the title of world's tallest structure for 3,800 years, however, and while the Monument took this tile from the Cologne Cathedral upon its completion, it only held its title for only a few years, being topped by the Eiffel Tower in 1889.
The construction of the Monument began in 1848, but took nearly 40 years to complete due to political strife, lack of funds, and the Civil War. The difference in shading of the structure about 150 feet up reflects the work stoppage.
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