The 13 Most Iconic Buildings in the United States

As the saying goes, if you want to understand the history of a country, you should first understand its architecture. How much do you know about American architecture? What are some American landmarks? The White House, the Empire State Building, the U.S. Capitol, the Statue of Liberty, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, Mount Rushmore, the Chrysler Building, and the Pentagon.

1. The Statue of Liberty World Heritage Site.

the Statue of Liberty, whose full name is “Statue of Liberty Bronze National Monument” and officially is “Liberty Enlightening the World”, is located near the mouth of the Hudson River on Liberty Island in the harbor of New York, USA. It was built by France in 1876 to commemorate the centenary of the victory of the American Revolutionary War, and the bronze statue was completed on October 28, 1886. The statue of Liberty is dressed in ancient Greek style and wears a radiant crown, with seven pointed awn symbolizing the seven continents. He held the torch of freedom in his right hand and the Declaration of Independence in his left. At his feet are broken handcuffs, shackles and chains, symbolizing freedom from tyranny.

Address: New York State, USA.

2. Independence Hall World Heritage Site.

The American Independence Memorial Hall, also known as Independence Hall, is a red brick Georgian building located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Built between 1732 and 1753, it was designed by Edmund Woolley and Andrew Hamilton and built by Woolley. The highest point of the building is 41m above the ground. The building was originally authorized by the Pennsylvania Colonial Congress to serve as the floor of the State Legislature of the Pennsylvania Colonial Authority. Two other small buildings are adjacent to the Independence Memorial: Old Town Hall to the east and Parliament Hall to the west. On July 4, 1776, delegates from the thirteen British North American states signed the Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson.

Address: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

3. The White House.

The White House, also known as the White Room, is the official residence and office of the President of the United States. It was officially named “The White House” by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1902. The White House is owned by the National Park Service and is part of the “President’s Park.” The White House is a white, neoclassical sandstone building located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. The White House covers an area of more than 73,000 square meters and is composed of three parts: the main building and the east and west wings. Because the White House is the residence and office of the President of the United States, the term “White House” often refers to the United States government, as in: “The White House announces that the President of China is visiting the White House”.

Address: 1600 Pennsylvania Street, Washington, DC, USA.

4. The Empire State Building.

The Empire State Building, a high-rise building completed on April 11, 1931, is one of the landmarks of New York. Located at 350 Fifth Avenue between West 33rd and West 34th streets in Manhattan. It was the tallest skyscraper in the world for the longest time (41 years from 1931 to 1972). The Empire State Building is 381 meters tall and has 103 floors. In 1951, a 62-meter antenna was added to bring its total height to 443.7 meters. The building was designed by Shreeve, Lamb, and Harmon Architects in the Art Deco style. The Empire State Building is both a multipurpose office building and one of New York City’s tourist attractions, with crowds lining up daily for the elevator to the top.

Address: 350 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York, USA.

5. The U.S. Capitol.

The United States Capitol Building is the seat of the United States Congress, located in Washington, D.C. Americans call the Capitol the Capitol. They regard it as the supreme symbol of a government of, by, and for the people. The foundation stone of the Capitol was laid by President Washington on September 18, 1793, and opened in 1800. Burned by the British in 1814 during the Second American War, parts of the building were destroyed. The House and Senate conference rooms, rotunda and rotunda were later added, and remodeled and expanded several times. The Capitol is 233 meters long, three stories of white marble, with a three-story dome on the top of the central tower and a 6 meter high bronze statue of Liberty.

Address: Washington, DC, USA.

6. Golden Gate Bridge.

The Golden Gate Bridge, standing over the Golden Gate Channel in San Francisco, California, is one of the world’s famous Bridges and a miracle of modern bridge engineering. The 1,900-meter-long bridge, which took four years to build with more than 100,000 tons of steel and cost $35.5 million, was designed by bridge engineer Joseph Struss (1870-1938). Because of its historical value, the UK and the US co-produced a documentary of the same name in 2007. The Golden Gate Bridge is also a pioneer in bridge architecture. It has only two pillars, so instead of using the piers to support the bridge, it uses the enormous tension generated by the curved suspenders on both sides of the bridge to lift the heavy structure high.

Address: San Francisco, California, USA.

7. The Lincoln Memorial.

The Lincoln Memorial, which is regarded as an enduring American statue and symbol of the city of Washington, was built in honor of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. The Memorial is located at the west end of the National Mall in Washington, on the east bank of the Potomac River, and at the east end of the Capitol building, is a whole body of white granite and marble built in the style of ancient Greek temple memorial. The memorial broke ground in 1914 and was completed in 1922. The atmosphere of the memorial Hall is solemn, and many tourists and students come to visit it by bus every day. The late President Lincoln is one of the most revered American presidents and will be remembered for his contributions to the United States — freeing the slaves and keeping it together.

Address: West Side of the National Mall, Washington DC, USA.

8. The Washington Monument.

Washington Monument is to commemorate the first president of the United States George Washington built, it is located in the center of Washington, on the axis of the Capitol building, Lincoln Memorial, is a marble obelisk, square, 22.4 meters wide at the bottom, 169.045 meters high, the monument has 50 layers of iron stairs, there are 70 seconds to the top of the high-speed elevator, From the top, visitors can look out small Windows over the city of Washington, Virginia, Maryland and the Potomac River. The inner wall of the monument is inlaid with 188 memorial stones donated by private individuals, organizations and around the world, including one engraved in Chinese, which was given by the Qing government. The monument is surrounded by a large grassy lawn, where rallies and parades are held.

Address: Downtown Washington, DC, USA.

9. President Mt.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial Park, commonly known as Mount Rushmore, is a presidential memorial park of the United States of America located near Keystone, South Dakota. The park features four 60-foot-tall portraits of former U.S. presidents, from left to right: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, who are believed to represent the nation’s 150 years of history. The park covers an area of 1,278 acres, with the highest point being 5,725 feet above sea level. The park is operated by the National Park Service, a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and attracts about two million visitors a year.

Address: On the southeast slope of Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, USA.

10. The Chrysler Building.

The Chrysler Building is a skyscraper located at 42nd Street and Lexington Street on the east side of Manhattan in New York City. At 320 meters high, it was the tallest building until 1931, when the Empire State Building was completed. Still, the Chrysler Building is the tallest brick building in the world. After 9/11, it was once again the second tallest building in New York until December 2007, when the Bank of America Tower topped out at 365.8 meters (1,200 feet), dropping the Chrysler Building to third tallest in New York. In addition, the New York Times Building was the same height as the Chrysler Building in 2007. The Chrysler Building is considered a classic Art Deco building, and most contemporary architects consider it still the finest decoration in New York City.

Address: 405 Lexington Avenue, Manhattan, New York, USA.

11. The Pentagon.

The Pentagon is the office building of the United States Department of Defense, located in the southwest of Washington, Virginia Arlington County, because of the building for the pentagonal named, is the world’s largest single administrative building, is the United States highest military command organ – the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense. The Pentagon was designed by American architect George Bergstrom and built by builder John McShane from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Because of its special functions, the term “Pentagon” is sometimes used not only to represent the building itself, but also as a synonym for the U.S. Department of Defense, or even the U.S. military authority.

Address: Washington, DC, USA.

12. Times Square in New York City.

Times Square is a bustling block in Manhattan, New York City, known as the “crossroads of the world”. Times Square was formerly known as Long Acre Square, and was renamed Times Square after the headquarters building of the New York Times was established here in the early days. Due to its high popularity, many famous cities in the world have shopping malls or buildings named “Times Square”, the name of Times Square has been deeply rooted in people’s hearts. With nearly 40 malls and theaters clustered around Times Square, it is a bustling entertainment and shopping center. Broadway theaters, dazzling neon tube ads, and television-style billboards have become deeply emblematic of New York, reflecting Manhattan’s intense urban character.

Address: Midtown Manhattan, New York, USA.

13. Washington Cathedral.

The Cathedral of Saints Peter and St. Paul, also known as the Washington Cathedral and commonly known as the Washington National Cathedral, is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture. Built in 1408, it is the only rectangular Gothic cathedral. The famous Lithuanian bishop and poet Varanjeus was buried in the church. It was not until the beginning of the Russo-Swiss War in 1655 that it was completed. Over the past 200 years, the shape and structure of the church gradually absorbed the architectural features of the Renaissance and Baroque. The tower is 41.9 meters high and contains nine altars. In 1895, it was elevated to become the main church.

Address: Washington, DC, USA.