JEFFERSON MEMORIAL by mabel65

The THOMAS JEFFERSON MEMORIAL is a presidential memorial in Washington, D.C. dedicated to Thomas Jefferson, an American Founding Father and the third President of the United States. The neoclassical building was designed by the architect John Russell Pope and built by the Philadelphia contractor John McShain. Construction of the building began in 1939 and was completed in 1943. The bronze statue of Jefferson was added in 1947. The Jefferson Memorial is managed by the National Park Service under its National Mall and Memorial Parks division. In 2007 it was ranked fourth on the List of America's Favorite Architecture by the American Institute of Architects. The site of the monument is in Washington D.C. West Potomac Park, on the shore of the Potomac River Tidal Basin, and is enhanced with the massed planting of Japanese cherry trees, a gift from the people of Japan in 1912. The monument is not as prominent in popular culture as other Washington, D.C. buildings and monuments, possibly due to its location well removed from the National Mall and the Washington Metro. The Jefferson Memorial hosts many events and ceremonies each year, including memorial exercises, the Easter Sunrise Service, and the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival. via 500px http://j.mp/1GFcPqw