You don't really notice it at all looking at the monument from far away but when I visited recently, I noticed how the bottom of it is much darker and it gets a lot lighter going towards the top.
Why is this so?
The Washington Monument was built is stages due to funding challenges. the monument is made of marble which is a naturally occurring substance. the color and veining of marble is determined by minerals. Even marble from the same 5' slab can show color variance.
Maybe it's because Tourists can't resist touching it (and leaving marks) Eeeeew!
Thankfully, Tourists can't jump.
because they started to build it 1848-56, then stopped and finished it between 1876-84. they ran out of money initially thats why they stopped and that is why it is two different colors.
go and ask the painter
nps.gov/wamo/faqs.htm
Why Is The Washington Monument 2 Different Colors?
