Arlington Memorial Bridge between the District of Columbia and Virginia is considered the most beautiful in Washington. But it is also a symbol of the bridge: it connects the Lincoln Memorial, the leader of the northerners during the Civil War, and Arlington, where the estate was General Lee, who commanded the Confederate forces. It is a visible sign of reconciliation and reunification.

For the first time the Congress spoke about the construction of the crossing of the Potomac River at this place back in 1886. Offers designers discussed for decades. In 1913, Congress passed a law that, in particular, obliged to finance construction of the bridge in response to the so-called Plan McMillan (Project Development Center of Washington). However, the First World War, money was never identified.

Helped case. In 1921, US President Warren G. Harding was heading to the grand opening of the tomb of the unknown soldier in Arlington Cemetery. On the bridge, 14th Street, on which Harding riding, there was a cork, and the president got stuck in it for three hours. This incident inspired him to appeal to Congress to allocate 25 thousand dollars for the construction of a new bridge, and the money is finally given. The project was developed architectural firm "McKim Mead and White."

Arch bridge made of stone and steel in the neoclassical style was opened in 1932 - at that time it was an example of very rapid construction of such a long (652 meters) and heavy (2700 tons) of a movable bridge. However, the last time the central part raised in 1961 - since then, as the upstream bridge was built by Theodore Roosevelt, which is not a drawbridge, tall ships are no longer able to come to this part of the Potomac.

Arlington Memorial Bridge is decorated with discreet but elegant - sculptures of eagles on the pylons from the west entrance, a relief depicting the same eagles, oak wreaths, bison, granite balustrade ... conspicuous only two monumental sculptural group work by Leo Friedlander, established in 1951 year. Sculptures made of gilded bronze under the title "The Art of War" is located at the eastern entrance. The group on the left is called "Valor": a woman, carrying a shield accompanies the rider. The group on the right, "Sacrifice", is more difficult - it can be assumed that a woman says goodbye to a child, which gave the rider. It is believed that a woman symbolizing the Earth, and the rider - Mars.

Not far to the north bridge, there are two groups of sculptures "The Art of Peace" James Earl Fraser's work - "Music and Harvest" and "Aspiration and Literature." They were created as early as 1930, but cast in bronze until the early 1950s. It was a couple of them carved Friedlander and his "Art of War".

However, the main decoration Arlington Memorial Bridge - still did not design, and the surrounding scenery. It is for these visitors to Washington, DC, it is always advised to walk across the bridge. It offers a magnificent view on one side of the river - the Lincoln Memorial and the western extremity of the National Mall, on the other - Arlington House (house of General Lee) on a high hill.