This panorama of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, known as the ''shrine of Democracy, was taken by Christopher Gjevre. It took 14 years to finish the enormous project, which was completed on October 31, 1941. During that period, more than 450,000 tons of rock were removed from the mountain, with 90 percent of the monument carved using dynamite. The four American presidents carved into the granite of Mount Rushmore were chosen by sculptor Gutzon Borglum to commemorate the birth, growth, preservation and development of the United States. The National Park Service maintains Mount Rushmore and welcomes upwards of 3 million visitors every year. It is one of America''s most popular tourist attractions.