Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States of America. It is one of the most important centers of cultural and historical tourism in the USA. Through an overview of major historical and cultural landmarks, such as the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, the Smithsonian Institution, Capitol Hill and the Library of Congress, the paper highlights the role of Washington, D.C. in the development of cultural and historical tourism in the country. In order to be able to talk about the city itself, definitions of tourism, as well as cultural and historical tourism, are first given. Then there is an overview of general data about the city, the current situation, as well as a historical overview of the city's development. The main part of the paper describes the main historical and cultural monuments and their importance for the tourist offer. The tourist offer is statistically analyzed in relation to other important tourist destinations, mainly cities, in the USA. At the end, an analysis of a survey conducted on the general population is given in order to determine how well Croatian citizens know the capital of the USA. At the same time, a survey among Croatian citizens reveals their level of knowledge of the main attractions and historical facts of the city. The paper concludes that, although Croats are aware of basic information about Washington D.C., there is room for improving knowledge about the rich cultural and historical heritage of this city.