The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, designed by Maya Lin in 1982, is devastating (in a beautiful way).

Two black granite walls, placed below grade, engraved in chronological order with the names of the men and women who gave their lives in the Vietnam War. At the apex where the two walls meet, the dates 1959 and 1973 (marking the beginning and end of the war) “meet” thus closing the circle of the time span of the war. A returning veteran can find his or her own time upon the wall, making each one’s experience of the memorial very personal and individual. The siting of the piece is directly related to the presence of both the Lincoln Monument and Washington Memorial, tying it physically and historically to the site.