On Memorial Day, the day set aside for honoring those who gave their lives for our country, no place is more central to than the Arlington Memorial Amphitheater.
Located at Arlington National Cemetery, the outdoor amphitheater attracts thousands of visitors every year for its moving 11 a.m. service, held every Memorial Day since 1920.
In the center of its eastern steps, is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, guarded around the clock by the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, "The Old Guard."
The marble-clad amphitheater seats 4,000, with standing room for another thousand. The main stage has three levels, each of which directs the gaze of a speaker to a klismos chair. The klismos chair is always empty, facing the audience as a reminder of the missing heroes honored by the monument.
When the cornerstone of the amphitheater was laid, a box was sealed inside. Some of the articles it contained were a Bible, The Declaration of Independence, The U.S. Constitution, a map design for the city of Washington, D.C., one of each U.S. coin and postage stamp used in 1915, a 1915 U.S. Flag and an autographed photo of President Woodrow Wilson.
