Things to do nearThe Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was established to honor American service members who died in combat and could not be identified, beginning with an Unknown Soldier from World War I who was interred at Arlington National Cemetery in 1921. Unknowns from World War II and the Korean War were added in 1958, and a Vietnam War Unknown was interred in 1984, though his remains were later identified and returned to his family. The monument itself is a massive rectangular block of Colorado Yule marble, inscribed on one face with the words 'Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God.' The plaza commands a sweeping view across the Potomac toward Washington, D.C., lending the site both geographic and symbolic weight.

The sentinel guards who walk the mat in front of the tomb belong to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, and they maintain their post around the clock every day of the year without exception. The Changing of the Guard ceremony is precise and deliberate, a choreographed sequence of rifle inspections and formal commands that many visitors describe as one of the most moving experiences they have had in the United States.

The surrounding grounds of Arlington National Cemetery offer additional points of reflection, including the gravesites of Presidents and Medal of Honor recipients, as well as rolling hills of white headstones that extend as far as the eye can see. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier stands as one of the nation's most enduring memorials, a place where history, military tradition, and collective grief converge in a way that leaves a lasting impression on nearly every person who visits.