The Pilgrim Monument was built between 1907 and 1910 to commemorate the first landing of the Mayflower Pilgrims in Provincetown on November 21, 1620, 391 years ago today, by the 'new style' calendar.
At 252 feet, 7.5 inches tall and 350 feet above sea level, it is the tallest granite structure in the United States. The granite came from Stonington, Maine, and each stone is the thickness of the wall. The design is patterned after the Torre Del Mangia in Siena, Italy, built in 1338-48.
(Torre Del Mangia, meaning "Tower of the Eater", derives from its first guardian, Giovanni di Balduccio, nicknamed 'Mangiaguadagni' for his tendency to spend all his money on food.)
You can reach the top of the Pilgrim Monument in about 10 minutes by climbing its 116 steps and 60 ramps. The view from the top on a clear day is breathtaking.
Many cities, towns and organizations from all over the United States donated the stones that line the tower's interior.
President Theodore Roosevelt laid the cornerstone on August 20, 1907, and President Taft led the dedication ceremony after the Monument's completion on August 5, 1910.
The annual official Lighting Ceremony, a Cape Cod tradition, is this Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. The lights will illuminate the sky through January 6, 2012.
