List of tallest buildings in Washington, D.C. facts for kids

An aerial view of the Washington Monument and White House in Northwest Washington, D.C..

This article lists the tallest buildings in Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States. The tallest structure in the city is the Washington Monument, which stands at 555 feet (169 meters) tall. It was finished in 1884. However, it's not really a "building" because it doesn't have many floors you can live or work on.

The tallest building where people can actually be on many floors is the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. It reaches 329 feet (100 meters) into the sky. The second tallest building is the Old Post Office Building, which is 315 feet (96 meters) high. The third tallest is the Washington National Cathedral, standing at 301 feet (92 meters). This cathedral is built on a high hill called Mount St. Alban, which is 400 feet (122 meters) above sea level. This makes its central tower the highest point in the whole city! As of 2011, Washington, D.C. has 410 tall buildings.

Why Buildings Aren't Super Tall

A diagram from 1884 showing the tallest buildings in the world. The Washington Monument was the tallest structure shown.

You can see the tall buildings of Arlington's Rosslyn and Crystal City from Georgetown University.

Washington, D.C. started getting tall buildings in 1894 with The Cairo, an apartment building. It was 164 feet (50 meters) tall and had 14 floors. After this, many tall buildings were built from the late 1890s to the mid-1930s, like the Old Post Office Building.

But why aren't there any super tall skyscrapers in D.C. like in other big cities? This is because of a law called the Height of Buildings Act. This law was first made in 1899 because The Cairo building was much taller than other buildings at the time.

The original law said buildings could only be 110 feet (34 meters) tall, or 90 feet (27 meters) for homes. In 1910, a new law was passed. It allowed buildings to be up to 130 feet (40 meters) tall. But there was a catch: a building's height couldn't be more than the width of the street next to it, plus 20 feet (6 meters). So, if a street was 90 feet (27 meters) wide, a building could only be 110 feet (34 meters) tall. This rule helps keep the city's skyline low and open.

This height limit was put in place to follow the wishes of Thomas Jefferson. He wanted Washington to be like an "American Paris" with "low and convenient" buildings and "light and airy" streets. Because of this law, you won't see giant skyscrapers in D.C. like in New York City or Chicago.

However, some people say this height limit causes problems. They argue it makes rent very expensive and leads to traffic jams because people have to live further away from the city center. Because of this, many of the really tall buildings near D.C. are actually in Rosslyn, Virginia. This area is just across the Potomac River from Georgetown.

Tallest Buildings in Washington, D.C.

The Washington Monument is the tallest structure in Washington, D.C.

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is the tallest building in Washington.

The Old Post Office Building is the second-tallest building in Washington.

The Washington National Cathedral is the third-tallest building in Washington.

The United States Capitol is the fourth-tallest building in Washington.

Georgetown University's Healy Hall is the sixth-tallest building in Washington.

The Thomas Jefferson Building is the ninth-tallest building in Washington.

The National Archives Building is the sixteenth-tallest building in Washington.

This list shows the tallest buildings in Washington, D.C. that are at least 150 feet (46 meters) tall. We measure their height from the ground to the top, including any spires or decorations, but not antennas. The "Year" column shows when the building was finished. Some tall towers are also listed for comparison, but they aren't ranked because they aren't buildings where people live or work on many floors. Most of the very tallest structures in the city are actually broadcasting towers located in the northern and western parts of D.C.

Buildings That Were Once the Tallest

This list shows buildings that used to be the tallest in Washington, D.C. It doesn't include the 555-foot (169-meter) Washington Monument, which has been the tallest non-building structure since 1884.

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Edificios más altos de Washington D. C. para niños Architecture of Washington, D.C.