Supreme Court, National Archives & The Old Post Office

So, we did some walk-about sight seeing on Sunday and found that several places are closed on Sunday.  I took advantage though and took several outside shots.  The buildings themselves give one a moment of pause....

The Supreme Court:

 

The National Archives was actually open but photos were not permitted anywhere inside the Archives.  We saw the Charters of Freedom - the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights,  they are the centerpiece of the National Archives.  There are also two amazing murals in the Rotunda - the 1936  Faulkner Murals  depicting fictional scenes of the presentation of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.  

 

The Old Post Office

There is something about historic structures that cause me to want to tour them.  Sometimes I am frustrated when they are not available for tour and the Old Post Office in Washington DC is one of them.  What a grand, glorious, unique, huge and beautiful building!  A little history on the building:  The Old Post Office Pavilion was built in 1899 and was used as the main post office until 1914. It was used primarily as an office building afterward, and was nearly torn down during the construction of the Federal Triangle complex in the 1920s. It was nearly demolished again in the 1970s to make way for completion of the Federal Triangle. Major renovations occurred in 1976 and 1983. The 1983 renovation added a food court and retail space. An addition was added to the structure in 1991.  It offers a birds-eye view of Washington, DC from its 315 foot observation deck. The 10-story building is located in the heart of Washington, DC between the White House and the U. S. Capitol Building and is convenient to many of the city’s hotels, museums, national monuments, and other attractions.

A word about some of these photos: the building has now been leased to the Donald J Trump organization and it is again being renovated into a hotel.  Due to this renovation there were construction blockades 10 feet tall encircling the entire building.  I

did not want 'Trump' advertising on or in my photos so there were some photos I just couldn't get!  If the photo does not say "Photo by Jan" then it is a photo I used from the 'public domain/free to use and share' photos found on the Internet.

Photo above from Internet.  Photo below is one of mine.

Considering the Old Post Office was built in the late 1800's the attention to detail is incredible! Take a look and see what you think.

It is like one huge castle!!

The Old Post Office Tower is closed to the public while the entire building undergoes major renovations. It is expected to reopen in 2016

The Clock Tower Observation Deck ranks third in height among the buildings in Washington DC. At the 270 foot level, there is an observation deck, once it is reopened, that will offer visitors an awe-inspiring view of Washington D.C. and the surrounding area including the Capitol Building, the Supreme Court, and the White House. The Tower also affords excellent views of several major Washington, D.C. sites, such as the Washington Monument, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, World War II Memorial, and Freedom Plaza. A number of major landmarks are visible across the Potomac River in Virginia, such as Arlington National Cemetery, the Pentagon, the U.S. Air Force Memorial, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria

Beneath the observation deck is the a century old tower clock.

The Clock Tower houses the  Bells of Congress, a Bicentennial gift from England commemorating friendship between the two nations. National Park Service Rangers give free tours of the tower offering a sweeping 360 degree view.

On the tenth floor are the beautiful Bells of Congress which are replicas of those at London’s Westminster Abbey and were a Bicentennial gift from the Ditchley Foundation in England.

The Bells of Congress are the official Bells of the United States Congress. The Bells were cast at the Whitechapel Foundry in London, England and were commissioned by the Ditchley Foundation as a Bicentennial gift to the United States. The bells originally were intended for the Capitol, but were found to be incompatible with that revered building. A search for alternate sites led to the decision to place the Bells in the Old Post Office Tower. The Tower was ideally suited both structurally and symbolically, being nearly halfway between the Capitol and the White House.

The Bells are rung by the Washington Ringing Society, a volunteer group based out of the National Cathedral. The Bells are rung on Federal Holidays, Days of National Mourning, the Opening and Closing of Congress, and Thursday nights for practice.

 

That's it for this chapter.  To bad the Old Post Office is being renovated to some ritzy ditzy hotel - although the exterior must remain as is,  it would have been better if the building would be brought back to it's original state and become a museum instead.

 

Could you just imagine? 

 

Okay, more on Washington DC soon ... keep an eye out! 🐾🐾🌷🌷