Columbus Fountain, Washington D.C.

Name: Columbus Fountain
Address: Union Station Plaza, Washington D.C., United States

#47 among attractions in Washington D.C.

Monuments and statues, Fountain

Gallery (10)

Map

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Facts and practical information

Nestled in the heart of Washington D.C., the Columbus Fountain stands as a testament to the spirit of exploration and the complex history of the Americas. This grand statue, located in front of Union Station, serves as a tribute to the famed explorer Christopher Columbus, whose voyages to the New World forever changed the course of history.

The Columbus Fountain was dedicated in 1912 and has since been an iconic landmark in the nation's capital. It is not merely a statue but a sculptural ensemble that includes a central figure of Columbus standing atop a pedestal, flanked by figures representing the Old World and the New World. The fountain's design reflects the Beaux-Arts style, which was popular in the early 20th century, and it incorporates various symbolic elements that evoke the age of discovery.

The imposing figure of Columbus is depicted with an outstretched hand, pointing towards the horizon, symbolizing the direction of his voyages and the expansion of geographical knowledge. Below him, the two allegorical figures represent the meeting of European and indigenous American cultures, a moment that holds complex and multifaceted significance in contemporary discourse.

The fountain is a gathering spot for tourists and locals alike, offering a place of reflection amidst the bustling city. It's not just a celebration of Columbus but also a reminder of the enduring legacy of the Age of Exploration and its impact on the world.

Completed: 1912 (112 years ago)Coordinates: 38°53'50"N, 77°0'24"W

Address

Union Station PlazaNortheast Washington (H Street-NoMa)Washington D.C. United States

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Day trips

Columbus Fountain – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: National Postal Museum, H Street, Capital One Arena, Victims of Communism Memorial.

~560 ftNW
U.S. mail from the past to the present
National Postal Museum, Washington D.C.
3 min walk • The National Postal Museum, located opposite Union Station in Washington, D.C. United States, was established through joint agreement between the United States Postal Service and the Smithsonian Institution and opened in 1993.
0.5 miNW
Street, Shopping district, Shopping
H Street, Washington D.C.
13 min walk • H Street is a set of east-west streets in several of the quadrants of Washington, D.C. It is also used as an alternate name for the Near Northeast neighborhood, as H Street NW/NE is the neighborhood's main commercial strip.
0.8 miW
Sport venue, Sport, Arenas and stadiums
Capital One Arena, Washington D.C.
20 min walk • Capital One Arena is an indoor arena in Washington, D.C. Located in the Penn Quarter neighborhood, the arena sits atop the Gallery Place rapid transit station of the Washington Metro.
~1610 ftW
Monuments and statues
Victims of Communism Memorial, Washington D.C.
8 min walk • The Victims of Communism Memorial is a memorial in Washington, D.C. located at the intersection of Massachusetts and New Jersey Avenues and G Street, NW, two blocks from Union Station and within view of the U.S. Capitol.
0.5 miW
Museum, Vernacular architecture, Specialty museum
Lillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum, Washington D.C.
12 min walk • The Capital Jewish Museum, officially the Lillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum, is a historical society and its planned museum in Washington, D.C. focused on the history of Jewish life in the American capital city and the surrounding Washington metropolitan area.
0.4 miSW
Monuments and statues
Robert A. Taft Memorial, Washington D.C.
10 min walk • The Robert A. Taft Memorial and Carillon is a carillon dedicated as a memorial to U.S. Senator Robert Alphonso Taft, son of President William Howard Taft. The memorial is located north of the Capitol, on Constitution Avenue between New Jersey Avenue and First Street, N.W. Designed by architect Douglas W.
0.8 miW
Shopping, Shopping district
F Street and 7th Street shopping districts, Washington D.C.
21 min walk • Parts of F Street and 7th Street, N.W. and nearby blocks have historically been the heart of the Washington, D.C. downtown shopping district. In the first half of the 20th century there were numerous upscale large department stores along and near F Street, while 7th Street housed more economical emporia and large retail furniture stores.
0.4 miS
Museum, Art museum
United States Senate Vice Presidential Bust Collection, Washington D.C.
12 min walk • The United States Senate Vice Presidential Bust Collection is a series of 45 busts in the United States Capitol, each one bearing the likenesses of a vice president of the United States.
0.7 miN
Hiking trail, Hiking
Metropolitan Branch Trail, Washington D.C.
18 min walk • The Metropolitan Branch Trail is a rail trail that, when completed, will run eight miles from the transit center in Silver Spring, Maryland, to Union Station in the District of Columbia.
0.4 miSW
Monuments and statues
Albert Pike, Washington D.C.
11 min walk • Albert Pike was an American author, poet, orator, editor, lawyer, jurist and Confederate general who served as an associate justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court in exile from 1864 to 1865.
~1960 ftSE
Museum, History museum, Georgian architecture
Belmont–Paul Women's Equality National Monument, Washington D.C.
10 min walk • The Belmont–Paul Women's Equality National Monument is a historic house and museum of the U.S. women's suffrage and equal rights movements located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which popular attractions are close to Columbus Fountain?

Nearby attractions include Union Station, Washington D.C. (2 min walk), National Postal Museum, Washington D.C. (3 min walk), Holodomor Genocide Memorial, Washington D.C. (5 min walk), National Guard Memorial Museum, Washington D.C. (5 min walk).

How to get to Columbus Fountain by public transport?

The nearest stations to Columbus Fountain:

Bus

FlixBus Washington Union Station • Lines: 2601, 2602, 2668, N2610 (1 min walk)
Greyhound (3 min walk)

Metro

Union Station • Lines: Rd (2 min walk)
Judiciary Square • Lines: Rd (14 min walk)

Train

Washington Union Station (3 min walk)
Hart (9 min walk)

Tram

Union Station • Lines: H Street/Benning Road Streetcar (7 min walk)
H Street & 8th Street Northeast • Lines: H Street/Benning Road Streetcar (17 min walk)