How many Ionic order columns surround the exterior of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.?

Thomas Jefferson was one of the greatest presidents in American history. He helped write the Declaration of Independence, founded the University of Virginia, and was responsible for acquiring 800,000 square miles (2,071,990 sq km) of land for 15 million dollars. The Jefferson Memorial, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., was dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1943. The statue of Jefferson located underneath its dome is 19 feet tall. The memorial is surrounded by 26 columns which represent the number of states in the union when Jefferson died.

Designed by architect John Russell Pope, the memorial is composed of circular marble steps, a portico, the circular colonnade of 26 Ionic order columns, and a shallow dome. The building is open to the elements. It has a diameter of approximately 165 feet (50 m).

Further, the memorial is constructed of white Imperial Danby marble from Vermont, which rests upon a series of granite and marble-stepped terraces. A flight of granite and marble stairs and platforms, flanked by granite buttresses, lead up from the Tidal Basin to the portico.