Lafayette Square

This seven-acre public park lies directly north of the White House and has long served as a gathering place for demonstrations and ceremonies. Originally part of the White House grounds, it was set aside as a public square and named for the Marquis de Lafayette. At its center stands an equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson, ringed by statues of foreign officers who aided the American Revolution at the corners. Framed by historic townhouses and churches, the square forms one of the most storied civic spaces in the country.