- The Washington Monument is probably the most recognizable pillar-style monument in the world.Washington Monument image by Schwabacher from Fotolia.com
Pillar-style monuments are long, slender, vertical structures that stand alone as symbols of commemoration. Some pillars are simply tall columns, but the shape of a pillar monument can vary. The main criterion for a monument to be considered a pillar is that the structure should be particularly thin and narrow in relationship to its height. Some pillar monuments are more famous than others, making them much easier to recognize and identify. - The Washington Monument stands in the United States capitol as a symbol of tribute and gratitude to George Washington, who is often credited as being the father of the country. The monument was built using both federal and private funds between 1848 and 1884, and it was built in two phases. The monument weighs 81,120 tons and is 555 feet, 5 1/8 inches tall. The base of the monument is 15-feet thick, but it narrows to only 18-inches thick at the top. It is made with a combination of white marble blocks, blue gneiss and granite; a color change is noticeable where construction paused in 1854. The monument underwent a restoration project in 1996, in which cracks were filled, windows were sealed, joints were strengthened and commemorative stones were preserved. Admission to the monument is free to the public, but visitors must first obtain a ticket.
- The Pillar of Eliseg is a fragmented pillar monument that stands on an ancient mound near Llangollen, in northeast Wales. The pillar is one of the most mysterious early medieval monuments in all of Great Britain. The existing pillar is part of a pillar cross-shaft, but the cross is now missing. The Latin inscription on the pillar reveals that the cross was erected by the ruler Concenn of Powys in memory of his great-grandfather, Eliseg. The pillar was placed on a mound about which little is known. The pillar and mound are now part of an archaeological research project, Project Eliseg, that strives to uncover the mysteries surrounding the landmark and the contents of the mound below. Results of the excavation are inconclusive, but the construction is consistent with other burial monuments of the Early Bronze Age. Among the items found are pieces of Roman pottery and medieval pottery.
- Pompey's Pillar is a Roman-style column monument in Alexandria, the second largest city in Egypt. The monument is named for Pompey the Great, who fled to Egypt in 48 B.C. and was murdered. Crusaders who visited the Alexandria in the 13th century mistakenly believed this was Pompey's burial site and that his remains were encased in the cap of the pillar. The monument was actually erected at the end of the 4th century in honor of Diocletian, the Roman emperor who captured Alexandria and relieved the city's suffering from disease and hunger. The monument stands approximately 93 feet high and measures 29.5 feet in circumference.
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