# Height regulations for DC buildings?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-regulations-for-dc-buildings/250143>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 13, 2004, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-regulations-for-dc-buildings/250143 "2004-06-13T17:27:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-regulations-for-dc-buildings/250143/1 "2004-06-13T17:27:56Z")

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Am I correct in thinking that there is a law in Washington that says no building can be highter than the Capitol, with the exception of the National Cathedral?

Googlers, start your engines!

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-regulations-for-dc-buildings/250143/2 "2004-06-13T17:35:12Z")

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Actually, at 555 feet, the Washington Monument is the tallest building in the District.

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**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-regulations-for-dc-buildings/250143/3 "2004-06-13T18:04:40Z")

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DC passed a law in 1910 that forbid building higher than the capitol. I don’t have a rock-solid cite to that, just some references made to it in articles, etc. There are exceptions…[The Cairo](http://metroweekly.com/feature/?ak=295) is one. I’m not sure of the other(s).

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**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-regulations-for-dc-buildings/250143/4 "2004-06-13T20:02:03Z")

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Q.E.D., I think that The National Cathedral is taller than the Washington Monument as it sits on a hill.

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**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-regulations-for-dc-buildings/250143/5 "2004-06-13T20:27:25Z")

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> [@CBCD](#):
>
> Q.E.D., I think that The National Cathedral is taller than the Washington Monument as it sits on a hill.

That’s cheating 🙂

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**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-regulations-for-dc-buildings/250143/6 "2004-06-13T20:42:31Z")

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[A very quick Google comes up with this article about the limit.](http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2004/02/16/focus5.html)