Finally visiting the iconic American landmark from the textbooks 🗽✨

Many Americans regard Mount Rushmore as a kind of "patriotic sanctuary," much like the national flag or anthem. And indeed, that’s exactly the vibe—everywhere you look, there are visitors dressed in star-spangled shirts, pants, and bandanas. Mount Rushmore, officially known as Mount Rushmore National Memorial, is located in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It features the carved faces of four U.S. presidents: George Washington 🇺🇸 – Founding Father, symbolizing the birth of the nation. Thomas Jefferson 📜 – Author of the Declaration of Independence, representing democracy and expansion. Theodore Roosevelt 🐂 – Driving force behind industrialization and reform, symbolizing national progress. Abraham Lincoln 🕊️ – Leader who preserved the Union during the Civil War, embodying unity and freedom. Walking through the lush Black Hills forest, you can catch a side glimpse of Washington’s profile (the others are partly hidden among the trees). From a distance, the sculptures blend seamlessly into the mountain—his nose especially prominent. I later learned that each president’s head is about 18 meters (60 feet) tall, with eyes 3.6 meters wide and noses around 6 meters long! Up close, the four presidents gaze solemnly into the distance. They seem to "float" above the mountaintop, overlooking the land like deities, with state flags waving below. The grand presence is overwhelming—you can’t help but feel the weight of history and the power of belief. No wonder these four faces are called a national epic.🙌 When you walk directly to the base of the mountain, the view becomes less impressive—maybe because the angle is too steep, and the full scale isn’t as visible.😁 Washington’s sculpture is placed centrally and most prominently. He’s also the only one depicted with part of his torso (chest and shoulders), while the other three are mainly carved as heads with less depth and detail. PS: Free entry 🆓 (but parking is $10 🚗) #Travel #WorldHeritageSite #ExploringTheWorld #USA #SouthDakota #MountRushmore