Page 136 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Washington, DC

134  W ASHINGT ON , DC AREA B Y AREA

The Pentagon building’s formidable concrete facade
2 The 3 Air Force 4 Southwest
Pentagon Memorial Waterfront
1000 Defense Pentagon, Hwy 1-395, Off Columbia Pike. Tel (703) 979-0674. q Waterfront. Fish Market:
Arlington, VA. q Pentagon. Tours by q Pentagon City & Pentagon. Open 7:30am–8pm daily.
appointment for US citizens only. Open Apr–Oct: 8am–11pm daily; ∑ swdcwaterfront.com
Book by calling (703) 697-1776, or Nov–Mar: 8am–9pm daily. 8 by appt.
online at ∑ pentagontours.osd.mil ∑ airforcememorial.org In the 1960s, urban planners
tested their new architectural
President Franklin Roosevelt Located on a promontory theories on Washington’s
decided in the early 1940s to overlooking the Pentagon, southwest waterfront
consolidate the 17 buildings this memorial honors the along the Potomac
that comprised the Department service and sacrifices of River. Old neigh-
of War (the original name for the men and women borhoods were
the Department of Defense) of the United States torn down, and
into one building. Designed by Air Force and its apartment high-
army engineers, and built of predecessor rises put up
gravel dredged from the organizations. in their place.
Potomac River and molded Central to the bold, Eventually new
into concrete, the Pentagon graceful design, restaurants devel-
was started on September intended to evoke A stall at the southwest oped along
11, 1941 and completed on flight, are three water front’s fish market the waterfront,
January 15, 1943, at a cost stainless steel spires and Arena Stage,
of $83 million. As the world’s which soar skyward, a regional theater company,
largest office building, it is the highest reaching built an experimental theater
almost a city in itself. Yet despite 270 ft (82 m). President here. The area enjoyed a
its size, the Pentagon’s unique George W. Bush accepted regenera tion, and today is
five-sided design is very the Memorial on behalf a popular place to eat or
efficient, and it takes only of the American people just take a stroll, particularly
seven minutes to walk in October 2006. during the summer months.
between any two points. The fish market here is
The Pentagon is the head- the oldest in the country.
quarters of the Department A remnant of the old
of Defense, a Cabinet-level waterfront culture, it is
organization consisting of three located off Maine Avenue.
military departments, the Army, Today it is still a thriving
Navy, and Air Force, as well as business, drawing customers
14 defense agencies. Leading from all over Washington
personnel are the Secretary of and enjoying its reputation
Defense and the Chairman as one of the most vibrant
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. spots in the area. Lobster,
On September 11, 2001, crabs, oysters, and all kinds
the building was damaged in of fresh fish are sold from
a terrorist attack. A memorial barges on the river. There are
to the 184 people who died also several good restaurants
in the Pentagon and on Flight along the waterfront that
77 was dedicated on September specialize in freshly caught
11, 2008. The elegant Air Force Memorial local fish and seafood.

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