Meander Among the Gardens at Meridian Hill Park
When Meridian Hill Park was built in 1819, the mansion served as the private residence of a wealthy D.C. dweller. Ten years later, then-President John Quincy Adams moved in. Prior to the Civil War, it became a public park—and even hosted Union troops. However, it wasn’t until 1910, when the U.S. government bought the land, that landscape architects transformed it into the Italian-style garden you see today.
The fountain is undeniably one of the most stunning aspects of Meridian Hill Park. It’s comprised of 13 basins with water cascading from one to the next. It’s currently undergoing repairs, but you can still check out the fountain—and don’t miss the sculptures peppered throughout the garden. The Joan of Arc statue is one-of-a-kind in that no other spot in D.C. features an equestrian statue of a woman. You’ll also find statues of Dante and James Buchanan. Meridian Hill Park is free and open to the public with social distancing guidelines in place.
