The sacred geometry of Washington, D.C. : the integrity and power of the original design

The Sacred Geometry of Washington, D.C. shows how a system of number and geometric proportion, employed in the temples and cities of many of the great civilizations of the past, is present in the original design of the United States capital. In 1791, as the immense new Federal City took shape upon the landscape, it had to define and balance the powers of the People, the States, the Judiciary, the Legislature and the President. The architect had to give symbolic form to a new democratic republic. But, over the centuries, imbalances crept into this plan. Nicholas Mann describes this story in fascinating detail and asks: if the symbolism of the capital city is intended to be a true expression of America's heart, its innermost values, what can be done to restore the balance and integrity of its original, visionary principles?

in 1791, A New City Took Shape On The Potomac. It Was Planned To Bring The Political Center Of The Emerging Nation Down From New York And Philadelphia To An Unspoiled Place With No Prior History, A Place Where The Opening Chapter Might Be Written On America’s Blank Page.

french-born Pierre Charles L’enfant, Was Appointed By George Washington To Be Its Planner And Architect. L’enfant Wished To Inscribe In His Design The Flourishing And Triumphant Principles Of The Enlightenment. He Also Wanted To Bring Classical Shape To His City: Rational Geometric Patterns And Pythagorean Golden Sections, Like Those Inscribed In The Great Cities Of Past Civilizations. These Patterns, He Believed, Held Not Only Powerful Symbolic Significance But Tapped Into Actual Spiritual Forces And Cosmic Energies As Well.

as It Turned Out, Through The Intercession Of Thomas Jefferson And Others, The City Was Built With Major Modifications To The Original Design. One Of These 1793 Modifications Gave Much More Emphasis In The City’s axes To The Position Of The White House—only Completed In 1800—than To The Capitol Building At The Center Of L’enfant’s Design. Did Moving The Zero Meridian West To The White House Express A Desire, Perhaps, To Give Greater Emphasis To Executive Power Than To Legislative?

what Happened To L’enfant’s Remarkable conception?  Why And How Was It Altered? Did Freemasonic Ideas play Any Appreciable Role in The Original Or Amended design? What Can We Learn Today From The Intended Design, In Terms Of The Role Of Spiritual Forces Embedded In Geometric Patterns? nicholasr. Mann Shares With Readers The Genius Of The Original Design And The Significance Of The Modifications To Washington As Built.

In 1791, a new city took shape on the Potomac. It was planned to bring the political center of the emerging nation down from New York and Philadelphia to an unspoiled place with no prior history, a place where the opening chapter might be written on Americas blank page. French-born Pierre Charles LEnfant, was appointed by George Washington to be its planner and architect. LEnfant wished to inscribe in his design the flourishing and triumphant principles of the Enlightenment. He also wanted to bring classical shape to his city: rational geometric patterns and Pythagorean golden sections, like those inscribed in the great cities of past civilizations. These patterns, he believed, held not only powerful symbolic significance but tapped into actual spiritual forces and cosmic energies as well. As it turned out, through the intercession of Thomas Jefferson and others, the city was built with major modifications to the original design. One of these 1793 modifications gave much more emphasis in the citysaxes to the position of the White Houseonly completed in 1800than to the Capitol building at the center of LEnfants design. Did moving the "zero meridian" west to the White House express a desire, perhaps, to give greater emphasis to executive power than to legislative? What happened to LEnfants remarkableconception? Why and how was it altered? Did Freemasonic ideasplay any appreciable rolein the original or amendeddesign? What can we learn today from the intended design, in terms of the role of spiritual forces embedded in geometric patterns? NicholasR. Mann shares with readers the genius of the original design and the significance of the modifications to Washington as built. The author shares the genius of Pierre Charles L'Enfant's original design for the new city of Washington, D.C., and the significance of the modifications as it was built