Catafalque

Two floors below the Rotunda you can see the area intended as George and Martha Washington's tomb. However, they were buried at their plantation on the Potomac River, and the space now holds Lincoln's catafalque -- the structure on which Lincoln's coffin rested at the Rotunda.

Benjamin French designed Lincoln's catafalque, which consisted simply of pine boards nailed together and covered with black broadcloth. Over the years the base and platform have been modified to accommodate the remains of dignitaries who lay in state in the Rotunda and nearby locations. The fabric has been replaced but its draping follows the 1865 style.

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