Elena Rossi
The Lincoln Memorial is a US national memorial honouring Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. The memorial, designed by architect Henry Bacon, has 36 columns, each representing a state of the union at the time of Lincoln's death. Inside, the inscriptions of Lincoln's famous speeches, the Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address, are surmounted by gigantic murals by Jules Guerin. The murals portray principles considered evident in Lincoln's life, including Freedom, Liberty, Morality, Justice, and the Law on the south wall; Unity, Fraternity, and Charity on the north. The true meaning of the memorial is communicated by a symbol—fasces, a bundle of rods bound by a leather thong, which symbolises power and authority.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Columns | 36 (each representing a state of the union in Lincoln's time) |
| Building Materials | Granite from Massachusetts, Limestone from Indiana, Marble from Tennessee, Alabama, and Colorado |
| Unity | The theme of the inscription over the statue |
| Murals | "Unity" and "Emancipation" by Jules Guerin |
| Symbol | Fasces (a bundle of rods bound by a leather thong, representing power and authority) |
| Theme | National unity and racial justice |
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What You'll Learn
The murals symbolise freedom, liberty, morality, justice, and the law
The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., is a neoclassical monument honouring Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. The memorial is designed in the form of a classical temple, with 36 columns representing the 36 states of the Union at the time of Lincoln's death. The interior features a 19-foot (5.8-metre) seated statue of Lincoln, made of white Georgia marble, designed by Daniel Chester French and carved by the Piccirilli brothers.
The memorial is replete with symbolic elements, including the ubiquitous symbol of fasces, a bundle of rods bound by a leather thong, which represents power and authority. The fasces can be seen on the ends of the armrests of Lincoln's chair and repeated throughout the memorial. The memorial also features two large murals by Jules Guerin, which symbolise the principles evident in Lincoln's life: Freedom, Liberty, Morality, Justice, and the Law.
The mural on the south wall, titled "Emancipation", depicts the Angel of Truth freeing enslaved African Americans, representing Lincoln's role in issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. The mural on the north wall, "Unity", shows the same angel joining the hands of the North and South, symbolising Lincoln's commitment to national unity. These murals, along with Lincoln's inscribed speeches, heighten the meaning of his influential words and the values he stood for.
The Lincoln Memorial has become a symbolic centre for race relations and civil rights, with Martin Luther King Jr. delivering his historic "I Have a Dream" speech at the memorial in 1963. The memorial continues to inspire and challenge, attracting millions of visitors each year who come to understand the values Lincoln fought for and the complexities of his legacy. The memorial's architecture, symbolism, and artwork all contribute to its enduring significance as a monument to freedom, justice, and unity.
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The fasces symbolise power and authority
The fasces, a bundle of rods bound by a leather thong, is a recurring symbol in the Lincoln Memorial. The symbol is found at the base of the stairs, on the ends of the armrests of Daniel Chester French's "Abraham Lincoln", and throughout the memorial. In ancient Rome, the fasces represented power and authority, signifying that a man held "imperium" or executive authority. The Roman leader with imperium could expect obedience, dole out punishment, and even execute those who disobeyed. Thus, the fasces symbolise power and authority in the Lincoln Memorial.
The fasces also symbolise unity, as they were carried by the lictors in Roman military parades. This representation of unity is in line with the overall theme of the Lincoln Memorial, which is unity within the Union. The 36 columns of the memorial represent the 36 states of the Union at the time of Lincoln's death, and the 48 stone festoons above the columns represent the 48 states in 1922. The inscriptions on the memorial also reflect this theme, with Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address inscribed on the interior south wall: "That government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
The murals inside the memorial, created by Jules Guerin, further emphasise the theme of unity, with the mural "Unity" on the north wall depicting the Angel of Truth joining the hands of the North and South. The use of fasces in the memorial's design thus reinforces the message of unity and the strength of the Union.
While the fasces have ancient roots as a symbol of power and authority, their presence in the Lincoln Memorial also reflects the values and beliefs of the time it was conceived and built. The fasces symbolised the long-lasting civilisation on which the American government was founded and the structure of its national identity, "E Pluribus Unum". The fasces, with their bundle of rods bound together, represented the unity and strength of the Union, honouring Lincoln's fight to preserve it.
Over time, the perception of symbols can evolve as new generations project their own interpretations. After World War II, the fasces may have been viewed with some taboo due to their association with ideologies that clashed with American ideals of equality and democracy. Despite this, the fasces remain a prominent symbol in the Lincoln Memorial, reminding visitors of the strength and unity that Lincoln fought to uphold.
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The columns represent the states of the Union at the time of Lincoln's death
The Lincoln Memorial, a neoclassical monument honouring Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, is located on the western end of the National Mall of Washington, D.C. The memorial was designed by architect Henry Bacon and dedicated on May 30, 1922, in front of more than 50,000 people. The memorial is in the form of a classical temple, with 36 Doric columns lining the exterior. These columns are significant, as they represent the 36 states of the Union at the time of Lincoln's death in 1865. Each column stands at 44 feet (13.4 metres) tall and is made of Colorado marble.
The number of columns, 36, is specifically representative of the number of states in the Union at the time of Lincoln's death in 1865. This symbolism is reinforced by the 48 stone festoons above the columns, which represent the 48 states that existed in 1922 when the memorial was completed. The names of these 48 contiguous states are listed above the colonnade, with the dates of their admission to the Union inscribed in Roman numerals. The states of Alaska and Hawaii, which attained statehood later, are honoured with a plaque on the front steps bearing their names.
The columns of the Lincoln Memorial are a powerful symbol of national unity and the strength of the Union. The building materials for the memorial were sourced from across the country, with granite from Massachusetts, limestone from Indiana, and marble from Tennessee, Alabama, and Colorado. This choice of materials further emphasises the theme of unity, bringing together resources from different regions of the country.
The interior of the memorial continues the theme of unity, with inscriptions of Lincoln's famous speeches, the Gettysburg Address, and his Second Inaugural Address. These speeches embody Lincoln's commitment to preserving the Union and his belief in a government "of the people, by the people, for the people". The murals by Jules Guerin that flank the inscriptions further reinforce the ideals of unity, freedom, liberty, morality, justice, and charity.
The Lincoln Memorial, with its 36 columns, stands as a powerful reminder of the unified nation that Lincoln fought to preserve. The columns represent not only the states of the Union at the time of his death but also the enduring strength and unity of the country that Lincoln helped to forge.
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The north wall mural symbolises unity, fraternity, and charity
The Lincoln Memorial is a US national memorial honouring Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. The memorial, built in a neoclassical style in the form of a classical temple, was designed by the architect Henry Bacon. The memorial is replete with symbolic elements. For instance, the 36 columns represent the 36 states of the Union at the time of Lincoln's death.
The north wall mural, designed by Jules Guerin, symbolises unity, fraternity, and charity. It is one of two 60-by-12-foot (18.3 by 3.7 m) murals that portray principles evident in Lincoln's life. The north wall mural, titled "Unity", shows the Angel of Truth joining the hands of the North and South. The imagery is problematic by today's standards as the angel is white, and the freed people are shown in supplicating poses. However, the message of unity, fraternity, and charity is clear.
The south wall mural, titled "Emancipation", depicts the same angel freeing enslaved African Americans. The north and south wall murals, along with Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural Address, emphasise the two competing themes of unity and justice. The Angel of Truth in the murals is believed to be a representation of Lincoln himself.
The Lincoln Memorial has been interpreted as a symbol of national unity, with its architecture and inscriptions reflecting this theme. The memorial has also been a site for significant events in the American Civil Rights Movement, such as Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, further emphasising its role as a symbol of unity and racial justice.
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The south wall mural symbolises emancipation
The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., is a neoclassical monument honouring Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. The memorial was designed by architect Henry Bacon and dedicated on 30 May 1922. It has been a major tourist attraction since its opening and has occasionally been used as a symbolic centre focused on race relations and civil rights.
The south wall mural, titled "Emancipation", symbolises the principles evident in Lincoln's life, such as freedom, liberty, morality, justice, and the law. It depicts the Angel of Truth freeing enslaved African Americans. The imagery is considered problematic today due to the depiction of a white angel and the supplicating poses of the freed people. However, the message of emancipation is clear and heightens the meaning of Lincoln's influential speeches inscribed on the walls, including the Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address.
The choice of building materials for the memorial also symbolises unity, with materials sourced from the North, South, East, and West. The 36 columns represent the 36 states of the Union at the time of Lincoln's death, and the 48 stone festoons above the columns represent the 48 states in 1922. The memorial's theme of unity is further emphasised in the inscription over the statue: "IN THIS TEMPLE, AS IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE FOR WHOM HE SAVED THE UNION, THE MEMORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN IS ENSHRINED FOREVER."
The Lincoln Memorial has been a site for significant events in the American Civil Rights Movement, such as the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his historic "I Have a Dream" speech. The memorial continues to inspire and challenge visitors, serving as a reminder of the values Lincoln fought for, including national unity and racial justice.
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Frequently asked questions
The Lincoln Memorial is a US national memorial honouring Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. It was designed by Henry Bacon and is located in Washington, D.C.
The two paintings in the Lincoln Memorial were created by Jules Guerin and are titled 'Reunion and Progress' and 'Emancipation'. They represent the principles evident in Lincoln's life: Freedom, Liberty, Morality, Justice, and the Law; and Unity, Fraternity, and Charity.
The 36 columns represent the states of the Union at the time of Lincoln's death, and the 48 stone festoons above the columns represent the 48 states in 1922.
The statue of Lincoln is made of Georgia white marble and was designed by Daniel Chester French. It was carved in 28 pieces by the Piccirilli brothers of New York.
