Washington Monument - A masonic symbol?

Very interesting, not one word about the Washington Monument on this whole page. Can we cut the sniping and get back to the topic please?

Originally posted by intrepid
Very interesting, not one word about the Washington Monument on this whole page. Can we cut the sniping and get back to the topic please?

Yeah... I'd appreciate that too, as I asked a specific question about the MONUMENT. Not DC as a whole.
I would like to thank you bondi for attempting to get to the answers to my questions.

Apoligies for the side tracked discussion, if I hadn't repsonded it wouldn't of continued.

I am not American and have presumed that the monument in question is the obelisk, tall pointy thing.

I am not sure how they relate this to freemasonry, the closet thing I can think of is the columns, although they are flat topped, with a globe sitting on the top, so really don't resemble each other.

Are you aware of the way they have linked them.

I mean other than the fact that Washington was a mason, and what better way to commemorate his memory, as that is what the monument was for is for isn't it?, than to have a masonic ceremony for the laying of the cornerstone.

I think the masonic link is merely in respect of Washington, he was a mason, so the monument was done in masonic style.

Not sure if there is anything behind the scenes to it all, don't really know how it could effect anything if there were.

Well, I guess we could start with the obelisk itself. Then the show I watched also mentioned the height of the monument was 555'. That wasn't the original design, but rather a happy coincidence. They also made some vague reference to the number 5 as being important in masonry. Then there's the pyramidium(sp?) on top.

I am curious as to what the symbols all mean to a mason. Those contained withing the design and structure itself.

I am no scholar on the subject, but I have faith in the many mason on this board to correct me when I get a bit wrong.

Okay numbers,

3 = 3 degrees of Freemasonry , Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, Master Mason.

5 = only reference I know of is regarding 5 steps, but that is part of one of the rituals so I don't know how much some one is allowed to post, and I have never asked any more.

7 = The Seven Sciences, I'd ask a Fully fledged mason to detail them for you if you want to know them.

I have not actually seen any direect link to a pyramid with Freemasonry, the Illuminati yes, and I know people link the two, but I understand it that the Illuminati infiltrated European freemasonry to help recruitment processes or something. Which therefore would create a problem with the illuminati and not Freemasonry.

I have seen a lot of diagrams showing the street maps of Washington, depicting a pentagram. The only star I know involved with Freemasonry is the star of David, the six pointed one so I don't see the relevance of that bit.

Are there any of the symbols in particular you want to know about. As with a Christian and the crucifix, the symbols hold personal meaning to each individual mason, but there is also a fraternal meaning to them all.

Alot of the problem especially with the street map views etc is people blame freemasonry for the lot due to supposed linkage. You can definetly make a pentagram, slightly skewif, but you can see it. people blame freemasonry because they have linked freemasonry with the occult. Don't shout about the occult building Washington though, just freemasonry.

They can make a square and compass by joining three buildings/monuments with two line and make the square part by just drawing the lines, they don't seem to point to anything of significance, don't forget I am not American so they might be . The square bit is the downward arrow shape incase you don't know.

I am familar with squares and compasses... I am a draftsman by trade. Of course todays draftsman doesn't use those tools anymore. Nowadays it's all CAD.

So I guess what your saying is that there really isn't much masonic symolism in the monument itself.

Here's another interesting tidbit I got out of that show on the History channel. Apparently they were having trouble coming up with the materials to build the monument, so different states and organizations began donating blocks to build it. Most of these donated blocks were carved to reflect the organization that donated it. Supposedly, as I have not personally visited the monument many of those blocks were donated by different lodges around the country. So I'm guessing that people who have gone to the monument may have seen all of the compasses and just assumed the worst.

Here's a piece of an article that some what explains this, along with the pyramid bit as well. Turns out this wasn't in th original design and the monument was finished by some one else who had interests in Egypt not freemasonry.

"The cornerstone was laid in 1848, site problems having caused delays; then, when the monument was some 150 feet high, the Civil War postponed further constuction. Mills died in 1855. In 1876, when construction recommenced, George P. Marsh, who was ambassador to Italy, was among those asked for advice concerning completion of the monument. As a student of Egyptian obelisks�there are thirteen in Rome�he immediately suggested that Mills's projected height of 600 feet be reduced to the standard Egyptian proportions of ten times base to height, or 555 feet, a 55-foot width having been established. Marsh also strongly recommended that the circular 'temple' base be eliminated and that no decorative trim be used. Finally, he proposed a pyramidal capping of aluminum, a pioneering material for the time."

full article is at

www.greatbuildings.com...