Pierre L'Enfant

Pierre L'Enfant was a French-born architect and engineer who designed the original layout of Washington, D.C., in the late 1700s. He envisioned a city with grand avenues, ceremonial spaces, and strategic sightlines that reflected both European elegance and American ideals. His detailed plans included spacious parks, important public buildings, and a grid system that organized the city’s development. While some of his ideas were altered later, his vision laid the foundation for the city’s iconic design, blending beauty and function to create a national capital that symbolizes Democracy and democracy.