Fact Check

No, the Washington Monument Doesn't Have 'Satanic' Dimensions

It measures fairly close to 6,666 x 666 inches, but the Bible doesn't say anything about rounding up.

Published Dec. 12, 2022

 (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Image Via Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Claim:
The Washington Monument is 6,666 inches high and 666 inches square at its base.

A rumor has been floating around the internet for many years claiming that the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., has "satanic" dimensions. 

"It's all evil. The Washington Monument (Babylonian obelisk) is 6666 inches high and 666 inches wide," an October 2020 tweet stated:

According to a 2020 tweet, 'The Washington Monument (Babylonian obelisk) is 6666 inches high and 666 inches wide.' (Twitter screenshot)

"TIL That the Washington Monument measured at ground level is 666" x 666" x 666" x 666" and is 6666" tall," said a 2013 post on the r/todayilearned subreddit: 

Does the Washington Monument measure 6666 by 666? (Reddit screenshot)

However, according to the National Park Service, which oversees the Washington Monument, those measurements are not quite accurate.

The monument, according to NPS, is "555 feet and 5 1/8 inches tall. It is 55 feet wide at the base."

That's 6,665 1/8 inches in height, with a base measuring 660 inches wide. It's close to 6,666 x 666 inches, but as far as we know, the Bible makes no mention of rounding up when discussing the number "666" in the Book of Revelation. In that apocalyptic and final portion of the New Testament, the number "666" is described as being the "number of the beast." Although what that means, and who or what it refers to has been widely debated, it has never been thought to be a good thing.

It's not unusual for occult-oriented conspiracy theories to circulate around important sites and objects. Snopes analyzed yet another religious-themed claim about the Washington Monument back in 2003. In 2014, Snopes debunked a rumor that the number 666 could be found on the label of Monster energy drinks.

Sources

LaCapria, Kim. "Does the Monster Energy Drink Logo Include the Number 666?" Snopes, 10 Nov. 2014, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/monster-energy-drink-666/.

Mikkelson, David. "Laus Deo and Washington Monument." Snopes, 5 Dec. 2003, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/washington-monument/.

"Frequently Asked Questions - Washington Monument." U.S. National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/wamo/faqs.htm. Accessed 12 Dec. 2022.

"Why Is the Number of the Beast 666?" Westminster Theological Seminary, 11 Feb. 2015, https://faculty.wts.edu/posts/why-is-the-number-of-the-beast-666/.

Bethania Palma is a journalist from the Los Angeles area who has been working in the news industry since 2006.