Editing Washington, D.C. (section)

==== National Mall and Tidal Basin ====
[[File:Aerial view National Mall 12 2014 DC 711.JPG|thumb|left|[[National Mall]], a landscaped park extending from the [[Lincoln Memorial]] to the [[United States Capitol]]]]
[[File:Vietnam Veterans Memorial reflection.jpg|thumb|The [[Vietnam Veterans Memorial]], a {{convert|2|acre|m2|adj=on|spell=in}} site featuring two [[black granite]] walls engraved with the names of those service members who died or remain missing in the [[Vietnam War]] designed by [[Maya Lin]], was initially controversial for its lack of heroic iconography, a departure from earlier memorial designs.]]

The [[National Mall]] is a park near [[Downtown (Washington, D.C.)|Downtown Washington]] that stretches nearly two miles from the [[Lincoln Memorial]] to the [[United States Capitol]]. The mall often hosts [[List of protest marches on Washington, D.C.|political protests]], concerts, festivals, and [[United States presidential inauguration|presidential inaugurations]]. The Capitol grounds host the ''[[National Memorial Day Concert]]'', held each [[Memorial Day]], and ''[[A Capitol Fourth]]'', a concert held each [[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]]. Both concerts are broadcast across the country on [[PBS]]. In the evening on the Fourth of July, the park hosts a large [[fireworks]] show.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Washington, DC, Fourth of July Celebration (U.S. National Park Service) |url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalmall4th/index.htm |access-date=2024-03-20 |website=www.nps.gov |language=en |archive-date=March 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240320154430/https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalmall4th/index.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Washington Monument]] and the [[Jefferson Pier]] are near the center of the mall, south of the [[White House]]. Directly northwest of the Washington Monument is [[Constitution Gardens]], which includes a garden, park, pond, and a [[Memorial to the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence|memorial to the signers]] of the [[United States Declaration of Independence]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/coga/index.htm|title=Constitution Gardens|access-date=September 9, 2022|publisher=[[National Park Service]]|archive-date=September 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921230547/https://www.nps.gov/coga/index.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Just north of Constitution Gardens is the [[Lockkeeper's House, C & O Canal Extension|Lockkeeper's House]], which is the second-oldest building on the mall after the White House. The house is operated by the [[National Park Service]] (NPS) and is open to the public. Also on the mall is the [[National World War II Memorial]] at the east end of the [[Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool]]; the [[Korean War Veterans Memorial]]; and the [[Vietnam Veterans Memorial]].<ref name=nama>{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/nama/historyculture/index.htm |title=National Mall & Memorial Parks: History & Culture |access-date=February 18, 2012 |date=September 28, 2006 |publisher=[[National Park Service]] |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629074322/http://www.nps.gov/nama/historyculture/index.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

South of the mall is the [[Tidal Basin (District of Columbia)|Tidal Basin]], a human-made reservoir surrounded by pedestrian paths lined by Japanese cherry trees. Every spring, millions of cherry blossoms bloom, attracting visitors from across the world as part of the annual [[National Cherry Blossom Festival]].<ref>{{cite web |title=History of the Cherry Trees |url=http://www.nps.gov/cherry/cherry-blossom-history.htm |publisher=National Park Service |access-date=August 19, 2011 |archive-date=August 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805101552/http://www.nps.gov/cherry/cherry-blossom-history.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial]], [[George Mason Memorial]], [[Jefferson Memorial]], [[Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial]], and the [[District of Columbia War Memorial]] are around the Tidal Basin.<ref name=nama />