John F. Kennedy Gravesite Eternal Flame, Washington D.C.

The John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame is a memorial dedicated to the memory of the slain United States President John F. Kennedy. It's located at his gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. This memorial, which stands as a permanent tribute, replaced a temporary grave and an everlasting flame that were used during Kennedy's state funeral on November 25, 1963, just three days after his tragic assassination.

The design of this site was crafted by the architect John Carl Warnecke, who was a close friend of Kennedy. The official consecration of the permanent John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame gravesite took place on March 15, 1967, when it was opened to the public.

The construction involved using twenty tons of steel for the terrace and pouring 280 tons of concrete to create the grave vaults and the site for the eternal flame. The inscriptions on the wall, chosen by Jacqueline Kennedy with the assistance of Kennedy's speechwriter Ted Sorensen, were selected by November 1965. These inscriptions were taken from Kennedy's inaugural address in 1961. The quotations were engraved onto seven granite blocks using Roman majuscule lettering.

Immediately following Kennedy's burial, the gravesite and the Eternal Flame became a place of pilgrimage, drawing approximately 50,000 visitors per day. In its first three years, more than 16 million people paid their respects at this sacred site.

Kennedy鈥檚 two sons, John F. Kennedy Jr. and Patrick Bouvier Kennedy, as well as Jacqueline herself, are also buried in the same plot alongside the president.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: John F. Kennedy Gravesite Eternal Flame
Sight Location: Washington D.C., USA (See walking tours in Washington D.C.)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Arlington National Cemetery Tour

Walking Tours in Washington D.C., USA

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
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Arlington National Cemetery Tour

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Georgetown Walking Tour

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