The Pentagon

1:5000 scale miniature paper model, about 3.5 inches wide when built

The world's largest office building, with 17 miles of hallways and five concentric rings of offices, was built just before World War II to consolidate the growing War Department in one location. To conserve steel during the war, concrete ramps connected the five floors. The building was in the midst of renovation using more modern materials when it was attacked on September 11, 2001. The new sprinkler system and reinforcements saved many lives.

Read more:

• The offical Pentagon website has an in-depth architectural history and info about tours
• The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial commemorates those killed in the 2001 attack and details reconstruction of the building
• The Pentagon's labyrinth of hallways is notoriously confusing
• The Pentagon: A History, by Steve Vogel, Random House (2007)
• Author Steve Vogel tells NPR about the unusual story of the building

How to build the Pentagon Order the postcard