The shaft of the tower measures 100 feet high, 11 feet deep, and 32 feet wide. The base of the memorial measures 55 by 45 feet and stands approximately 15 feet high. Jets of water flow into a basin that rings the base.
The 27 bells in the upper part of the tower are among the finest in the world and were cast in the Paccard Bell Foundry in Annecy, France. The largest, or bourdon bell, weighs 7 tons. The bells are well matched and produce rich, resonant tones.
"This Memorial to Robert A. Taft, presented by the people to the Congress of the United States, stands as a tribute to the honesty, indomitable courage, and high principles of free government symbolized by his life."
- inscription above the statue
The Robert A. Taft Memorial and Carillon is located north of the United States Capitol, on Constitution Avenue between New Jersey Avenue and First Street, N.W.
Construction of the memorial was authorized by S. Con. Res. 44 (84th Congress, 1st session), which was passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives in July 1955. It was funded by popular subscription from every state in the nation. More than a million dollars was collected.
The bells are currently turned off due to deterioration.
