林肯紀念堂 （Lincoln Memorial）
1915.2.12 林肯生日時破土動工 1922 竣工
是一座仿古希臘式的大理石古典建築 長約58 米 寬約36米 高約25米
36根環廊的大理石圓柱 象徵林肯任職總統時的36個州
進入紀念堂 高達5.8公尺的林肯坐相矗立在眼前
牆面上寫著:
IN THIS TEMPLE AS IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE FOR WHOM HE SAVED THE UNION
THE MEMORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN IS ENSHRINED FOREVER
(林肯將永垂不朽 長存人心)
進入廳堂的左手邊則刻著林肯著名的蓋茲堡演說 （Gettysburg Address）
蓋茲堡戰役是美國內戰時賓州境內最重要 也是死傷最慘烈的一場戰役
共造成 51,000多名士兵死亡 受傷 及被俘
1863 在蓋茲堡國家墓園的揭幕儀式上 演說家 Edward Everett 致詞了兩個小時之久
林肯在其之後 只發表了短短不到300個字的演說 卻涵義深廣 雋永流傳
尤其演說中的最後一句 GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE
"民有 民治 民享" 成為現代民主政府的標竿
The Gettysburg Address
Nov. 19, 1863
"Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.
It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth."
(翻譯可以參考 http://blog.udn.com/osg/2728528)
林肯紀念堂與華盛頓紀念碑（Washington Monument) 成一直線
在華盛頓特區裡 無論從什麼角度 都可以看到這個高169.3公尺的大理石紀念碑
走出林肯紀念堂 往左邊走是越戰紀念碑 （Vietnam Veterans Memorial）
越戰紀念碑是耶魯大學華裔建築系學生林瓔所設計 1982紀念碑揭幕
黑色的大理石碑牆上 刻了五萬多個在越戰中死亡的姓名
很多人在密密麻麻的名字中尋找自己的親人 獻上鮮花
現場漾著低調肅穆的氛圍與淡淡的哀傷
走出林肯紀念堂 往右邊走則是韓戰紀念廣場
栩栩如生穿著雨衣的士兵塑像 加上旁邊的黑牆上浮現出一張張士兵的臉
傍晚時分 讓人覺得有點發毛
黑色大理石牆以噴砂的方式 浮出一張張士兵的臉
華盛頓特區一日遊終於走完了
結束後與闊別20幾年的大學同學聯絡上
連她都佩服我們在一天當中竟然可以參觀那麼多個點!!
看到老友格外開心 尤其看到她的女兒都那麼的懂事 貼心 優秀 更為老友覺得高興!
話匣子一打開 陳年舊事 彷如昨日
晃眼20幾年就過了 不敢想啊!!
