5 Architectural Sites of Washington, D.C.

For the capital of a nation, Washington, D.C. has some tough competition when it comes to appealing to tourists from outside of the United States - especially when one considers the reputation of New York City, the theme parks of Florida, and the golden sands of California. Yet, with Washington's social, political and cultural importance, the city has many significant architectural attractions - aside from the White House and the Washington Monument - and remains a key destination for American holidays.

1. Lincoln Memorial
Bearing similarities to the south facing pillars of the White House, the Lincoln Memorial is recognisable due to its Greek classical "Doric" style exterior. The memorial was built in honour of Abraham Lincoln in 1922 and includes a sculpture of the 16th President within, as well as inscriptions of two of his speeches. The memorial is located at the end of Arlington Memorial Bridge and is backed by a reflecting pool that stretches 618 metres to the Washington Monument.

2. Washington National Cathedral
Varying in style, Washington National Cathedral is the sixth largest in the world and follows a distinctive Gothic architectural style. The structure took an amazing 83 years to build, with President George H. W. Bush topping off proceedings in 1990. Today the building is still run by the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation and does not receive any government funding. The cathedral is open to the public, and also hosts timed ‘behind the scenes tours'.

3. Jefferson Memorial
The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is another significant structure built in honour, this time, of the third President of the United States. The memorial is located a little more than a mile from Lincoln's and was built between 1939 and 1942, and follows a neo-classical design evident from its many pillars and white marble. The structure contains a 19 foot tall bronze statue of Jefferson, again surrounded by his words, as well as excerpts from the Declaration of Independence. The structure is surrounded by Japanese Cherry Trees.

4. Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Completed in 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was constructed to honour those who died in the Vietnam War. The entire memorial consist of two bronze statues: The Three Soldiers and the Vietnam Women's Memorial, but is best known for the wall which is made up of two separate 75 metre walls that meet in a corner at a height of 3 metres. The structure is made from distinctive black granite. There are over 58,000 names on the inscribed on the memorial.

5. United States Capitol
The oldest of this list, the U.S. Capitol was started in 1793, expanded in the 1850s, and was significantly rebuilt again in the early 1960s. As of December 2008, the Capitol has also been home to a Visitor Centre which features exhibition space, congressional space and service space. The neo-classical building is the official meeting space of the U.S. Congress.

Sarah Maple writes for Gohop.ie who offer last minute holidays and cheap sun holidays.