Spotlight on Washington, D.C.

Set on top of Capitol Hill and the eastern end of the National Mall, this building is home to the U.S. Congress. First used in November of 1800, the Capitol Building is a symbol of American democracy. Designed by a Scottish-trained physician living in the British West Indies, the building is made up of two rectangular parts with a centralized dome.

The National WW II Memorial is dedicated to the 16 million who served in the armed forces, the 400,000 who perished and all those who supported the war effort on the home front. Dedicated in 2004 and designed by architect Friedrich St Florian, the memorial sits in a place of honor on the National Mall. It was the culmination of an 11-year effort, mainly funded with private contributions.

Since the moment workmen laid the cornerstone in 1907, the Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Paul has been America's national worship site for people of all faiths. The church atop Mount Saint Alban overlooking the city has played host to the state funerals of Presidents Dwight D Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan. As well as being the place from which the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached his last Sunday sermon in 1968.

With it's status as the Nation's Capital, Washington, D.C. sits along the Potomac River on land donated by the states of Virginia and Maryland. Home to all three branches of government, DC also has numerous museums, Arlington Cemetery and The National Mall. An open-air park between the Jefferson Memorial and the Capital Building, the Mall is dotted with memorials such as the WWII and Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool.

Situated on the banks of the Potomac River, Mount Vernon was the home of 1st U.S. President, George Washington. Explore 21 beautiful rooms spread out over the mansion's three floors or see the outbuildings that housed the important trades which helped to sustain the property. Washington redesigned the grounds of the estate to not only grow provisions but reflect a naturalistic 18th-century landscape.

With it's status as the Nation's Capital, Washington, D.C. sits along the Potomac River on land donated by the states of Virginia and Maryland. Home to all three branches of government, DC also has numerous museums, Arlington Cemetery and The National Mall. An open-air park between the Jefferson Memorial and the Capital Building, the Mall is dotted with memorials such as the WWII and Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool.

With it's status as the Nation's Capital, Washington, D.C. sits along the Potomac River on land donated by the states of Virginia and Maryland. Home to all three branches of government, DC also has numerous museums, Arlington Cemetery and The National Mall. An open-air park between the Jefferson Memorial and the Capital Building, the Mall is dotted with memorials such as the WWII and Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool.