Since October 1941, the most important presidents of the time have been engraved on Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Equipped with a circular route, visitor centre, souvenir shop and café, the visitor learns interesting facts about the four presidents and American history.
In the middle of the Black Hills in the US state of South Dakota lies Mount Rushmore - better known as the mountain with the four presidential heads. The imposing sculptural masterpiece is one of our top 10 sights in the USA.
PICTURES: Presidential heads on Mount Rushmore
Photo gallery: Presidential heads at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota
Between 1927 and 1941, each summer, the sculptor John Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum, together with almost 400 employees, blasted, hammered and chiselled the most important presidents of the United States at the time into the rock face: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.
The builder died before the monument was completed and his son continued the work until October 1941, but then had to abandon it due to lack of money. The monument was officially declared complete on 31 October. The originally planned extension of the presidential heads to include their upper bodies can only be seen as a model in the Visitor Centre there.
Tip: Look closely - did you notice that even Roosevelt's glasses were sculpted?
Best view of the presidential heads at Mount Rushmore
The spectacle in the entire area is at least as impressive as the monument itself. Visitors are greeted by an avenue of flags leading directly to the viewing platform. From there, the circular route starts, which leads even closer to the presidential heads and reports on their lives and work on information boards.
At the Visitor Centre with its nearby souvenir shop, you can learn more about the creation of the monument and get a taste of American history.
Tip: Don't be disappointed - despite the 18m height (with 7m wide eyes), the presidential heads are not as huge as you'd imagine due to the great height but still impressive to look at.
