Ascending Passage
3 Elements The Ascending Passage actually consists of three elements, those being 1) the lower section which meets the descending passage, 2) the junction point where it connects to the passage leading to the Queens' Chamber, and 3) the upper section, which is called the Grand Gallery. For our purposes here, we shall assume that we are speaking of the lower section when we say "ascending passage". Looking at the image below, you can see that the section of Pennsylvania Avenue that runs from Potomac Avenue to the White House encompasses all three of these elements, with the ascending passage running from Potomac Ave. to the Capitol, which is located at the junction point, and the Grand Gallery being represented by the section of Pennsylvania between the Capitol and the White House. As you can see, Pennsylvania Avenue is not as good a match to the ascending passage, as Potomac Avenue was to the descending passage. I have dealt with this elsewhere in a page that speaks to the bend in Pennsylvannia Avenue. Junction Point What I am calling the junction point is the place where the ascending passage changes into the Grand Gallery, and where the passageway to the Queen's Chamber intersects the passage. This is also where the so-called well shaft begins it descent. In the next image, you can see that the "lack of fit" between the cross-section image and the map, is due to the positioning of the Capitol Building; that is, if the Capitol had been placed a little bit to the south, Pennsylvania Avenue would have been a straight line from the river to Georgetown. This topographic map of the Capitol area shows that the "ideal" position for the building would have placed it right on the side of a hill. Grand Gallery Anyone who has ever seen Pennsylvania Avenue between the Capitol Building and the White House, the ceremonial route of presidential inaugurations and funerals, knows that, at 160 feet wide, it could well be called the Grand Gallery. HOME

Ascending Passage

3 Elements

The Ascending Passage actually consists of three elements, those being 1) the lower section which meets the descending passage, 2) the junction point where it connects to the passage leading to the Queens' Chamber, and 3) the upper section, which is called the Grand Gallery. For our purposes here, we shall assume that we are speaking of the lower section when we say "ascending passage".

Looking at the image below, you can see that the section of Pennsylvania Avenue that runs from Potomac Avenue to the White House encompasses all three of these elements, with the ascending passage running from Potomac Ave. to the Capitol, which is located at the junction point, and the Grand Gallery being represented by the section of Pennsylvania between the Capitol and the White House.

As you can see, Pennsylvania Avenue is not as good a match to the ascending passage, as Potomac Avenue was to the descending passage. I have dealt with this elsewhere in a page that speaks to the bend in Pennsylvannia Avenue.

Junction Point

What I am calling the junction point is the place where the ascending passage changes into the Grand Gallery, and where the passageway to the Queen's Chamber intersects the passage. This is also where the so-called well shaft begins it descent.
In the next image, you can see that the "lack of fit" between the cross-section image and the map, is due to the positioning of the Capitol Building; that is, if the Capitol had been placed a little bit to the south, Pennsylvania Avenue would have been a straight line from the river to Georgetown.

This topographic map of the Capitol area shows that the "ideal" position for the building would have placed it right on the side of a hill.

Grand Gallery
Anyone who has ever seen Pennsylvania Avenue between the Capitol Building and the White House, the ceremonial route of presidential inaugurations and funerals, knows that, at 160 feet wide, it could well be called the Grand Gallery.

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