Washington DC [Union Station]

Washington DC..
Only two days, [July 4 & 5, 2011] of which..
Day One, was exclusively for the 4th of July parade and fire-works..
Day Two, was a bus-tour [Washington DC Hop-On-Hop-Off Open-Top Double-Decker Bus Tour].. and a whole lot of time was spent in trip to the
US Capitol Bldg., click here.. However, I did stop at the Union Station, knowing it was by "make-no-little-plan" Daniel Burnham, so was a must-see.. [He made the "Plan of Chicago" and also designed Chicago Union Station click here..] Washington DC Union Station is designated a National Historic Landmark [NHL].

Washington DC Union Station..
Opened: 1907
Architect: Daniel Burnham, assisted by Pierce Anderson..
Outstanding features include..

• Massive scale..
• Great vaulted loggia..
• Main Hall or Waiting Room with gilded coffered ceiling, marble, gold leaf, and white granite
• 26 centurions sculptures by Louis St. Gaudens, in the main hall..
• Facade with The Triumphal Arch [The Central Section of the Station]
  
• 6 sculptures, titled, "The Progess of Railraoding" by Louis St. Gaudens, atop the cornice of the central section of the facade..




• Louis St. Gaudens was the brother of renowned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Louis changed the spelling of his name to St. Gaudens to differentiate himself from his well-known brother.




• Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain, by Lorado Taft....

The vaulted loggia..

Union Station: Main Hall, or waiting space..

Few of the 26 centurions for the station's main hall.

The East Hall..

The Progress of Railroading.. by Louis St. Gaudens. Just above the main cornice of the central block, are six colossal statues, representing Fire, Electricity, Freedom, Imagination, Agriculture and Mechanics. The statues are of Prometheus (for Fire), Thales (for Electricity), Themis (for Freedom and Justice), Apollo (for Imagination and Inspiration), Ceres (for Agriculture) and Archimedes (for Mechanics). St. Gaudens also created the 26 centurions for the station's main hall.

Thales [Electricity] and Themis [Freedom or Justice] The stone inscription reads.. Fire. The greatest os discoverie. Enabling man to live in all climates. Use many foods. And compel the forces of nature to do his work.. Electricity: Carrier of light and power. Devourer of time and space. Bearer of human speech over land and sea. Greatest servant of man. Itself unknown.

The Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain by Lorado Taft..

RELATED LINKS..

• Two Weeks Summer Vacation [Trip to New York City, Washington DC, New Jersey and Philadelphia]..
  
• 
  The Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain by Lorado Taft..