8. It’s pretty difficult to understand just how big the Pentagon is.
In fact, the U.S. Capitol could fit into just one of the building’s five sides, and with 5,100,000 square feet, it has twice the office space of the Empire State Building. When Dwight Eisenhower took up his position as army chief of staff after World War II ended, he got lost in the vast complex while on a walk and was forced to ask a group of stenographers for directions back to his own office. And while it is possible to get from the furthest points in under 10 minutes, that requires taking a shortcut through the open courtyard at the center of the complex (known as Ground Zero), and walking very fast. For those unable to physically walk the corridors on their own, the Department of Defense provides a fleet of scooters, or self-propelled vehicles (SPVs), that are allowed to zip around at up to 3 mph.
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