Print of the proposed Washington Monument by architect Robert Mills (1781–1855), Proposed Plan circa 1845–1848
Mavi Boncuk |
During the construction of the Washington Monument only a handful of nations donated stone. The Ottoman Empire, a predecessor of the Republic of Turkey, gave this stone as a gesture of friendship to the United States.
Level: 190-ft.
Donor: Sultan of Turkey Dates: 1854/1885
Original material: marble, possible gilding Dimensions: 2' 8" x 5'
Original inscription: [text in Turkish] Translation of text: So as to strengthen the friendship between the two countries. Abdul-Mejid Kahn has also had his name written on the monument to Washington.
[Frederick L. Harvey, compiler, “History of the Washington National Monument and Washington National Monument Society,” 57th Congress, 2d Session, Senate Document No. 224, Washington: Government Printing Office, 1903. ] [1]
Ottoman Sultan Abdul Mejid I [2] donated $30,000 toward the construction of the Washington monument. The Sultans' donation was the largest single donation toward the building of the Washington Monument. The Sultan's intention was to bridge peace between the Ottomans and the Americans. The stone containing the Turkish inscriptions commemorating this event is on the 190-foot level. The translation of the inscriptions state, "To support the continuation of true friendship Abdul Mejid Khan's clear and pure name was written on the lofty stone in Washington.": 128 It combines the works of two eminent calligraphers: an imperial tughra by Mustafa Rakım's student Haşim Efendi, and an inscription in jalī ta'līq script by Kazasker Mustafa Izzet Efendi, the calligrapher who wrote the giant medallions at Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.[3]
The Washington Monument is an obelisk within the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate George Washington, once commander-in-chief of the Continental Army (1775–1784) in the American Revolutionary War and the first President of the United States (1789–1797). Located almost due east of the Reflecting Pool and the Lincoln Memorial, the monument, made of marble, granite, and bluestone gneiss, is both the world's tallest predominantly stone structure and the world's tallest obelisk.
The Washington Monument was originally intended to be located at the point at which a line running directly south from the center of the White House crossed a line running directly west from the center of the U.S. Capitol on Capitol Hill. French born and military engineer Pierre (Peter) Charles L'Enfant's 1791 visionary "Plan of the city intended for the permanent seat of the government of the United States ..." designated this point as the location of the proposed central equestrian statue of George Washington that the old Confederation Congress had voted for in 1783, at the end of the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) in a future American national capital city.[31][D] The ground at the intended location proved to be too unstable to support a structure as heavy as the planned obelisk, so the monument's location was moved 390 feet (118.9 m) east-southeast.
[1] 1852: “His Imperial Majesty Sultan Abd-al-Majid, through John P. Brown, of the U.S. Legation, has signified his intention of contributing to the national monument to Washington, a block of marble to contain the cipher of the Sultan, and a suitable inscription.—Boston Daily Adv. [Providence Daily Journal, October 16, 1852.]
1853: “By a late letter from Constantinople we learn that the stone which the Sultan of Turkey is having prepared for the National Washington Monument is being done ‘in the handsomest style, and will do his Imperial Majesty credit.’ . . .” [DNI, May 7, 1853.]
1853: “This block is said to be of white marble, (it has not yet been received,) and the sculpture and inscription are richly gilded. . . .” [DNI, October 11, 1853.]
1854: “May 11, 1854 New York: E. Whittlesey from Aug O. Van Lennep, according to the instruction of F.W. Edeloff, who has the pleasure of inclosing the bill of lading of the block of marble sent by the Sultan of Turkey and shipped abroad the Schooner Arctic and which is expected to sail next Saturday.” [MR] • 1903: “Block is of white marble, highly polished, and ornamental.” [source]
[2] Abdulmejid I ( عبد المجيد اول, Abdülmecîd-i evvel,Birinci Abdülmecid; 25 April 1823 – 25 June 1861), was the 31st Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and succeeded his father Mahmud II on 2 July 1839.
His reign was notable for the rise of nationalist movements within the empire's territories. Abdulmejid wanted to encourage Ottomanism among secessionist subject nations and stop rising nationalist movements within the empire, but despite new laws and reforms to integrate non-Muslims and non-Turks more thoroughly into Ottoman society, his efforts failed.
He tried to forge alliances with the major powers of Western Europe, namely the United Kingdom and France, who fought alongside the Ottoman Empire in the Crimean War against Russia. In the following Congress of Paris on 30 March 1856, the Ottoman Empire was officially included among the European family of nations.
Abdulmejid's biggest achievement was the announcement and application of the Tanzimat (reorganization) reforms which were prepared by his father and effectively started the modernization of the Ottoman Empire in 1839. For this achievement, one of the Imperial anthems of the Ottoman Empire, the March of Abdulmejid, was named after him.
[3] Notified the Society that the [Charlestown] stone had been shipped on the Baltimore Packet and from Baltimore to Washington by rail;” “the block of marble sent by the Sultan of Turkey and shipped abroad the Schooner Arctic and which is expected to sail next Saturday,” [No primary sources available, in: Richman.] and “the drearisome trip of three months across the country was made principally by ox team.” [Ray C. Colton, “Brief History of the Deseret Stone,” in “Utah State Memorial Stone,” Proceedings held January 4, 1951, . . . Presented by Mr. Watkins, March 12, 1951, 82nd Congress, 1st Session, Senate Document No. 12.]