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Architectural Comparison
Washington monument vs Gateway arch

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Architectural Comparison
Washington monument vs Gateway arch

Morgan Gentry
12/14/15
Arch. History
J. Fithian

Morgan Gentry
Fithian. MW 5-615
Architectural History
14 December 2015
The Gateway Arch and the Washington Monument Two mesmerizing architectural pieces that Americans and tourists from around the world visit each year: the Gateway Arch and the Washington Monument. Four minds behind the wonders of the buildings that reside in top cities of the United Sates. Both constructed to perfection to represent important aspects of history, these monuments help represent the United States through architectural aspects. Born in Finland, but educated in America, Eero Saarinen is the architect responsible for the ideas resulting in the Gateway Arch, also known as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. Wanting to steer away from working with his father, Saarinen, with fresh architectural ideas, wished to compete in a competition to design an outstanding piece to remember the spirit of the western pioneers. He won the competition in 1947-48. Tragically, Saarinen passed away to a brain tumor and, therefore, did not live to see the day when his famous arch would be built. Hoping to expand the city of St. Louis and increase population size, construction of the 630-foot-high, upside-down “U” shaped, made completely of stainless steel, structure began in February 1963. Logically speaking, the Arch is a catenary curve. Catenary is simply the shape of a free-hanging chain when it is held at both ends, initially forming an upside-down “U”. This shape had never been constructed before, making it a true architectural milestone. Apart from its height, the Arch’s foundations sink sixty feet into the ground below it. Having the foundations so deep in the ground allows the monument to withstand high winds and even earthquakes. As other tall buildings do, the Gateway Arch is known to sway, though, of course, it is impossible to feel. Built to sway up to eighteen inches, the Arch sways up to one inch in a twenty mile-per-hour wind gust. Measuring from the outer sides of the legs, at ground level, the Arch is 630 feet wide, also. The legs themselves, at the base, are fifty-four feet in width. The very top of the Arch is seventeen feet in width. The Arch in its entirety weighs a whopping 43,000 ton. The construction of the Gateway Arch, in total, cost $13 million. Enclosed in the Arch is a tram that may take visitors up to the peak of the Arch, where they can experience unforgettable sights of the historic and modern-day St. Louis, Missouri. It is said that on a clear day visitors may see up to thirty miles from the arch in all directions. Visitors will sure to be blown away by the architectural wonders of the Arch. The Washington Monument, another fascinating monument, located in Washington, D.C., the monument was designed by Robert Mills and completed by Thomas Casey, with the help of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The purpose of the building was to honor and remember George Washington for being a great historic leader and for shaping the lovely nation of the United States. Standing at 555 feet, it was the tallest building in the entire world when it was completely finished in 1886. Mills, in his original plans for the monument, wished for it to be an Egyptian-style obelisk, which is a stone pillar, typically having a square or rectangular cross section and a pyramidal top. Beginning construction in 1848, the builders stuck with Mills’ plan for the shape, but made the monument five inches shorter than Mills wished it to be, which was, in fact, 600 feet. The body of the monument was made completely out of marble, granite, and bluestone gneiss and the pyramid top was made out of an aluminum material. There is a total of 36,491 blocks in the monument. It weighs 81,120 tons. The width at base of shaft is fifty-five feet and 1 1/2 inches, while the width at top of shaft is thirty-four feet 5 1/2 inches. The depth of the monument’s foundation is thirty-six feet and ten inches. Just like the Gateway Arch, the Washington monument sways. The sway of monument in thirty-mile-per-hour wind is 0.125 of an inch. In total, the cost of this build was $1,187,710. The Washington Monument appears to have a two color difference. The line where these two colors meet shows where construction, due to financial and control issues and also the Civil War, halted from 1854 to 1877. In 1998, Thomas Casey and his group of engineers decided to add an elevator system to make the monument more accessible to visitors and give them an even better experience. The elevator, even to this day, takes visitors to the very top of the monument, where historic sights await them. The Washington Monument and the Gateway Arch are significantly different. The Washington Monument has no curvature to it, unlike the Gateway Arch. The Gateway Arch is made of stainless steel, whereas the Washington monument is made of granite, marble, and bluestone gneiss. Because the Gateway Arch is made of stainless steel, it is significantly less weight than the Washington Monument. The Gateway Arch has deeper foundations than the Washington Monument, which means it could be more resistant to damage from earthquakes or, maybe, because the arch has two legs to support it, opposed to the Washington Monument. The Washington Monument was, actually, effected by an earthquake back in August 2011. A 5.8 magnitude earthquake occurred eighty-four miles southwest of Washington, D.C., damaging the structure of the monument. The monument was closed for some time to repair damages. The Gateway Arch cost a significant amount of money to build, more than the Washington Monument, because of its modern fixations, such as the stainless steel. Because the Washington Monument is much older and made of a material that wears, upkeep is needed. The Gateway Arch needs almost no upkeep at all, though advancement plans are being conversed. Aside from their differences, the two monuments have a few similarities. Both monuments were designed by architects who died before completion of their pieces. Both monuments, also, are accessible to the public to experience them from their tops. They both offer amazing views that bring visitors to their locations every year. Lastly, both were created to honor and remember an aspect of history through architecture. These monuments are pure evidence as to how history can be displayed for the world to gather and understand the importance of it. These architects saw this and knew how to catch the public eye by making two, beautiful monuments. Which will be around for many generations ahead of us to see and enjoy.

Works Cited 1. NPS. NPS, n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2015. <http://www.nps.gov/wamo/washington-monument-earthquake-update.htm>. 2. "Monuments." Tour Of DC. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2015. <http://www.tourofdc.org/monuments/washington-monument/>. 3. United States. National Park Service. "History & Culture." National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, Dec. 2015. Web. 14 Dec. 2015. <http://www.nps.gov/wamo/learn/historyculture/index.htm>. 4. "Arch FAQs & Facts." Arch FAQs & Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2015. <http://www.gatewayarch.com/about/history/arch-faqs-facts.aspx>.