Sphere factor: Rosslyn's otherworldly Dome adds a futuristic touch to the city's modern skyline.
Staring across the Potomac River from the bustling heart of Rosslyn, Va., where the streets are stuffed with looming towers of steel and glass, the nation’s capital, with its modest skyline of diminutive Lego blocks, doesn’t look very, well, capital.
If you’re thinking of moving to Rosslyn, know this: The city has skyscrapers, and they are gorgeous.
While they may not be Empire State-level monstrosities, Rosslyn’s highest risers dwarf any non-monument you’ll find in D.C. So many tall buildings – five stand over 300 feet and more than 20 house 15 floors or more – dress Rosslyn in a metropolitan guise that the District just can’t match. Visual standouts include the gleaming, 31-story Central Place and the modernist Architects Building. Then there are the 62 combined floors of the Rosslyn Twin Towers, which stand shoulder-to-shoulder on Wilson Blvd.
Credit goes to Rosslyn’s city planners, who saw fit to offset all of this “urban-ness” with bucolic touches like small gardens and bright patios affixed to the sides of many of buildings. In fact, when you’re not craning your neck to admire Rosslyn’s architecture, you’ll find myriad eye-level evidence of the city’s artistic sensibilities scattered throughout downtown. Many buildings sport sculptures out front, ranging from the stone family that sits plaintively near the entrance of the Norland Building to the bronze, armless titan who guards 1530 Wilson Blvd. There are examples of free-standing, public art that’s been integrated into the cityscape as well, including the dynamic Cupid’s Garden – a giant metalwork sculpture that adorns an otherwise drab traffic island – and colorful murals that doll up the entrances to various parking garages.
Dark Star Park, in particular, catches the eye with its curious arrangement of giant spheres and poles, the shadows of which align one day each year to commemorate William Henry Ross’ founding of the city in 1860. It’s very Raiders of the Lost Ark. And be sure to check out Central Place’s “Liquid Pixels” display, a shimmering, undulating piece that looks like a movie special effect.
So, beyond the sight-seeing, what is there to do in Rosslyn? Well, if you’re inspired by the city’s artistic bent, you may want to stop by the Art Institute of Washington, which offers degrees in a variety of disciplines from photography to fashion design. Then there’s the 387-seat Spectrum Theatre, where you can find live theater and music.
The “I Love the ’90s” Outdoor Film Festival in Gateway Park makes for an interesting diversion. The park also hosts the Rosslyn Jazz Festival.
But, wait, Rosslyn isn’t all skyscrapers and citified living. Outdoorsy types will want to check out the Rosslyn Farmers’ Market, which runs through late October and features a range of locally grown produce. (A bit of historic trivia: Beneath the Farmers’ Market is the parking garage where informant Deep Throat clandestinely met with The Washington Post‘s Bob Woodward during the Watergate scandal in the ’70s.) And for the adventurous, there’s the C&O Canal Towpath, a hiker/biker trail that stretches 184 miles from D.C. to Cumberland, MD. Just cross the Key Bridge from Rosslyn into Georgetown, and you’re on your way.
