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The Jefferson Memorial was dedicated by President Franklin Roosevelt on April 13, 1943, the 200th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson's birthday. Modeled after the Pantheon of Rome, the Jefferson Memorial is situated on the Tidal Basin in view of the famous cherry trees given to the United States by Japan in 1912 as a token of the two countries' lasting friendship. There is a 19-foot tall bronze statue of Jefferson in the center of the building. This statue was not installed until 1947 due to the shortage of materials during World War II. It is surrounded by passages from the Declaration of Independence and quotes from several of President Jefferson's writings.