Washington DC. We have not only offered the Statue of Liberty to the Americans but also their capital.

Pierre Charles L’Enfant, the architect and civil engineer born in France in 1754 was responsible for carrying out the plans of the city of Washington.

L’Enfant wrote to President George Washington he wanted to be commissioned to draw up plans for what would become the capital of the United States. L’Enfant had served in the American Revolution and was renowned and recognized among American leaders, which enabled him to obtain the approval of the President. The new capital was to be located on the banks of the Potomac River. L’Enfant was responsible not only to prepare the boundaries of the city and its structure but also the main government buildings including the White House and Capitol Hill. He decided to build the city on a grid with avenues and streets that go from north to south and from east to west with a few side streets. It was he who established Pennsilvania Avenue and the National Mall, avenues whose fame is international.

L’Enfant had grandiose visions, some up to those of the French kings, unfortunately unwelcome to the Americans who had budgets “reduced” and were more pragmatic. The White House that he had planned was 5 times greater than the one finally built, not to mention the beautiful gardens that were supposed to surround it. Its difficult character and lack of respect for the wishes of its sponsors earned him his fall.

In 1792, Andrew Elliot, one of three people appointed by the President to help the child to develop the city into the job and frustrated by the delay and the lack of conclusive results, taken upon himself to review plans for the L’Enfant . Furious, the latter, however, was able to convince the President for support and further revised by Elliot plans were adopted. L’Enfant was not initially paid for his work, and after many battles with the Congress, he received a paltry sum which enabled him to cover the debts he had. He died in poverty and was not celebrated and recognized by the American people tuntil the 20th century.