The Federal City

Moving forward continuing with the trip, we spared today for visiting the capital of the country, Washington DC as a day trip from our base Baltimore. Not even an hour away by train between both cities, the easiness to commute here paid off. I recall the trip back in 2012 where we came as a day trip from NYC having to take a very early flight and spend lots of time to/from the airport to downtown and so on. This time was as simple as taking a train and arrive literally meters from the Capitol at the impressive Union Station. And also I take the good chance for remaking this guide to be more complete than before.

The city was founded in 1791 to serve as the new national capital after the American Revolution, as was named after George Washington, the first President of the United States and Founding Father. Washington DC is one of the exceptions that break the rule of what a big city anywhere in the USA looks like. No skyscrapers at all but instead, broad avenues and a lot of parks, squares and monuments. It feels more European than any other city. And although everything looks nice, clean and elegant, most of it is just a pastiche. Buildings designed to look old and classic as if they would have been constructed back in 18th or 19th century. This is the case of most of the museum buildings that align the National Mall. The urban plan is worth to mention here as one of the greatest ever designed for a city. It was the work of genius surveyor and town planner Andrew Ellicott, who later would also design the plan for Buffalo, NY.

Everything is centred around the National Mall. This is where you find at both ends, the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial and aligned by the sides with all the museums, memorials, federal and governmental buildings. If divided in four, at the height of the second quarter is located the famous Obelisk, the Washington Memorial, from where perpendicular to the Mall is the other green area forming a perpendicular cross leading to the White House. With the main avenues that intersects at grand circus and squares is the same story, an impressive work of perspective and urban landscaping similar to Paris.

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