Classical Architecture and Monuments of Washington, D.C.: A History & Guide

For architecture aficionados and historians, this comprehensive view of the statues, monuments and architectural plans of Washington, D.C., provides an exciting insight into our federal city.

Author Michael Curtis guides this tour of the heart of the District of Columbia’s buildings, statues, and monuments. Classical design formed our nation’s capital. The soaring Washington Monument, the columns of the Lincoln Memorial and the spectacular dome of the Capitol Building speak to the founders’ expansive vision of our federal city. Learn about the L’Enfant and McMillan plans for Washington, D.C., and how those designs are reflected in two hundred years of monuments, museums and representative government. View the statues of our Founding Fathers with the eye of a sculptor and gain insight into the criticism and controversies of modern additions to Washington’s monumental structure.

About the Author

A classical painter, sculptor, architect and poet, Michael Curtis has been published in over thirty journals. He has taught and lectured at universities, colleges and museums, including the Institute of Classical Architecture, the Center for Creative Studies and the National Gallery of Art. His pictures and statues are housed in over three hundred private and public collections, including the Library of Congress, the National Portrait Gallery and the Supreme Court. Mr. Curtis is currently the curator at Plinth & Portal; vice president of Liberty Fund, D.C.; and director of design and planning for AEGEA.