Although not as popular as the Washington Monument in Washington DC, Baltimore’s Washington Monument was actually the very first monument dedicated to the first United States President, George Washington. The two were designed by the same architect (Robert Mills).

The statue on top of the monument depicts Washington resigning his role as Commander-in-Chief of the army, an event that took place in nearby Annapolis, Maryland.

The 178 foot building has 227 steps you can climb to the top, providing a fantastic view of the Mount Vernon neighborhood it overlooks. Exhibits at the monument’s base explain the history of the President Washington and the building itself.

On the first Thursday of every December a celebration takes place to light up the monument for the holidays, followed by fireworks, and it stays lit up until after Christmas Day.