Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Iwalked Washington D C's Andrew W Mellon Memorial Fountain aka ZodiacFountain

Iwalkedaudiotours.com - Located just outside of the front entrance to the National Gallery of Art is a fountain which was installed here in 1952. The Andrew W. Mellon Memorial Fountain is named after the former Secretary of the Treasury (from 1921 to 1932) and was a gift from friends of Mr. Mellon who donated $300,000 for a memorial in his honor. The fountain consists of three tiers of bronze basins that flow into a granite base. Carved within the base are a series of zodiac symbols said to be arranged so that on the vernal equinox (March 21) the sign of Aries aligns with the sun’s light. These symbols have led to the fountain’s nickname as the “Zodiac Fountain.”

ZodiacFountain
ZodiacFountain
  • Website: http://dcmemorials.com/index_indiv0000330.htm
  • Address: Intersection of 4th Street, NW and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
  • Cost: Free