National Trust for Historic Preservation: Return to home page

The U.S. Department of the Interior has submitted plans for a new proposed Monumental Arch at Memorial Circle on the George Washington Memorial Parkway, near Arlington National Cemetery and along the Potomac River.

One of America’s most sacred landscapes, the vista from the Lincoln Memorial, across Arlington Memorial Bridge, to Arlington National Cemetery and Arlington House communicates the magnitude of the Civil War, the obligation its unimaginable cost imposes on all Americans, and the aspiration of a post-Civil War reconciliation in a new birth of freedom.

It is because this viewshed carries so much meaning to the country that the National Trust has raised concerns about the proposed Monumental Arch, whose scale, location, and design will disrupt this important visual and symbolic vista. In addition, the Arch will dwarf the Lincoln Memorial and disrupt the long, open, and uninterrupted viewsheds, overwhelming the entry to Arlington National Cemetery—the hallowed resting place of 400,000 veterans and their families and a powerful reminder of American military sacrifice, selfless service, and national unity, all within sight of the monumental core of the Nation’s Capital.

Since our nation’s founding, Americans have understood the symbolic power of Washington, D.C. Our capital city is a planned city. In their design, context, and relationship to each other, our most meaningful buildings and monuments communicate our system of government and the principles on which it is based. Achieving this requires deep respect for what has gone before and careful planning, in measured steps that honor our history and our aspirations.

The legally required federal review process is on-going and continued public participation is essential.