The Ulysses S. Grant Memorial is an enormous statue of the 18th U.S. president and American Civil War general. Facing the Capitol Reflecting Pool, the sculpture features President Grant on horseback atop a large, elegant podium. When visiting the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial, admire the views of this magnificent work of art from Union Square across the water.
Behind the statue stands the even more impressive sight of the United States Capitol building, with its large white dome. Make your way around the pool and approach the bronze statue. To get a sense of its sheer size, take photos of your family members beside it.
Inspect the carved image on the square podium of the infantry, reflecting Grant’s role as a general in the American Civil War. As a nod to his president and ally during the war, Grant’s sculpture appears to face the Lincoln Memorial. Study the carvings of lions and artillery symbols on either side of the monument.
The work is among the largest equestrian statues in the world, standing at more than 44 feet (13 meters) tall. See how its podiums spread across a width of 252 feet (77 meters). Note that construction of the statue commenced in 1902 and the structure was completed in 1924.
Read about President Grant, who made his name as the Civil War Commander of the Union Armies, before serving two terms as president in the late 1800s.
The Ulysses S. Grant Memorial is on the eastern side of Union Square, at the eastern end of the National Mall. Travel by bus to one of the nearby stops or take the metro to the Capitol South or Federal Center SW station.
While in the area, be sure to see the George Gordon Meade Memorial, the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
