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Baltimore Was Dubbed “The Monumental City” Because It Raised the First Monument to Washington in the Country.

Visitors from around the United States and world have been visiting the Washington Monument for over 200 years. Like other monumental structures it was thought to be a marvel, and experiencing the views from the top has long been a Baltimore must-see experience.

When built, the Monument was in “Howard’s Woods,” but over time the area around it was laid out into small gardens to form a residential “square,” and many of Baltimore’s wealthy citizens first built impressive mansions here in the 1830s-40s. The parks proper have been designed by greats in American architecture like the Olmsted firm, and the current design from 1917-20 by Carrère & Hastings.

Over time, some of the mansions were replaced by churches, places of learning, and museums, and a handful underwent major transformations during the Gilded Age. Today, it survives as an outstanding example of urban architectures, and a long-standing centerpiece of the cultural life of Baltimore.