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| After a 2011 earthquake damaged the Washington Monument, scaffolding was erected. On July 8, 2013, the scaffolding was illuminated. |
This might be a good idea for a longer period of time:
The Washington Monument may look beleaguered, encrusted by 500 tons of scaffolding, but Monday night [July 8], America’s great obelisk got a new boost of energy.The National Mall frequently undergoes changes. Museums are added, landscaping is done. No longer is there much room for additional structures.
Electrical energy that lit 488 lamps.
[...]
Although still damaged from the earthquake two years ago, the 555-foot tall monument again glowed in the Washington night.
[...]
The lighting is no one-time affair. Sensors will switch on the illumination each night until the scaffolding is removed late this year or next.
...The lighting design, based on architect Michael Graves’s scheme used between 1998 and 2000 during an earlier restoration, mimics the landmark’s stone pattern but in an exaggerated way.
The monument has been closed to visitors since the 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck the East Coast on Aug. 23, 2011, cracking many parts of the structure....
Many are advocating permanent illumination of the obelisk. Your opinion?
Or maybe Anthony Weiner's. ;^)
ReplyDeleteGlad you have your sense of humor intact.
ReplyDeleteGeneral Washington was a reserved, socially polite, refined gentleman who lived his life humbly and without much fanfare. The lighted memorial is an affront to this humble gentleman, underscored by the debasement in comments, above. If this is how the American people now honor their forefathers, it would be better to remain silent.
ReplyDeleteJack,
DeleteInteresting take!
So much of Washington, D.C. is an affront to George Washington, I'm sure.
It looks like the Eiffel Tower lit up like that. Honestly, not a fan of it for the same reason I dislike the tower: it looks really out of place. The rest of the city is either urban buildings or stone, and not lit up. If they were too, spotlights at the bottom would make sense, but keeping those lamps there? No thanks.
ReplyDelete-Wildstar
Wildstar,
DeleteInteresting take!
I think that the obelisk has typically been illuminated with floodlights. But the floodlights illuminating scaffolding that looks like a splint or a cast? No, thanks!
Taking Farmer's thought to its logical nonpartisan conclusion, it looks like the government giving us the digit.
ReplyDeleteDuck,
DeleteThe government gives us the digit every April 15th.
I'd rather the miney was spent fixing the damage.
ReplyDeleteJim,
DeleteI think that repairs are ongoing and proceeding as fast as Washington, D.C., can move (Like a snail?).
It seems that the cost of illuminating the scaffolding is quite low.
Bunkerville,
ReplyDeleteI have a rather sarcastic sense of humor. Gets me into trouble all the time!
I like it. My favorite monument and I think it would look great illuminated every night.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
Right Truth
http://www.righttruth.typepad.com
It has a unique kind of beauty all its own in its present condition.
ReplyDeleteI doubt if scaffolding is usually constructed with that high a degree of aesthetic consideration. I think it shows an admirable degree of reverence for the beautiful old structure. I've always admired the Washington monument for its grace and simplicity.
One this is certain: without the obelisk, the mall, the reflecting pool, the Capitol, itself, and the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials there' would be nothing left of any value in our nation's capital.
stunning and proud..unlike our current administration eh!!!
ReplyDeleteLet me try that comment again....
ReplyDeleteI really like the look of the monument with the lights as they are right now. But I'm not sure that I'd want it lit up like that every day of the year. Maybe for special occasions?
I suppose, however, that keeping the monument illuminated in that manner would eventually lead to green lighting for Eid al Fitr -- as has been done with the Empire State Building.
Mrs. AOW is letting me use her laptop for a few minutes while she fixes coffee.
ReplyDeleteI like the monument lit up like this. Maybe I'll take MetroAcess paratransit van downtown at night to see the monument with lights!
I think I like it better the way it was before the lights.
ReplyDeleteRather symbolic that the monument now looks like it is imprisoned behind bars.
ReplyDeleteIt has been lighted before (sans scaffolding) but the lights attracted bugs, the bugs attracted other bugs, which attracted birds (to eat the bugs) and the bird excrement was caustic and damaged the stone façade. So to reduce the rate of damage, the lighting was limited to certain hours.