We had scheduled several tours through our Congressman and the first one for the week was The Washington National Cathedral.  Normal operating hours are Mon-Fri. 10am – 5:30pm, Sat. 10am – 4:30pm however, if you book through your Congressman you will actually get to tour before it opens to the public.

We left our hotel at 7:30am and headed to the Metro (read up on how to navigate the Metro by clicking: HERE) and on the way saw Kyle from our evening at the Quarterdeck Restaurant.  Very cool to see a familiar face!

As we approached the Cathedral we noticed this outside.

Here’s the sign explaining what those stones and why they are there:

Back on August 23, 2011 there was an earthquake there.  The ground shook for less than a minute but caused the 30-foot central tower of Washington National Cathedral to whip back and forth.  Some of the 50-ton pinnacles (decorative parts of the tower) spun like tops and others fell onto the roof. 

During our tour there were two things vying for my attention.  One was the stained glass windows were captivating. 

The other thing that mesmerized me was the incredible architectural detail seen throughout the Cathedral.

 

From the Washington National Cathedral website I learned that the Washington National Cathedral is called to serve as the spiritual home for the nation. It is a national treasure and an architectural feat.  It is a place for spiritual enrichment above all, whether you come here for worship, a concert, a pilgrimage, or an insightful program. It is a place open to all.

It is truly one of the most beautiful architectural sites in DC.  After completing the tour we decided to go up and visit the Pilgrim Observation Gallery so we could enjoy the generous views of the surrounding area.  From that vantage point, approximately 112’ above the ground.  It is an awesome 360’ view of DC and the surrounding area. 

     

• Have you ever visited the Washington National Cathedral?
• What was your favorite part? 
• Would this be on your list of must-see sights in DC?

There’s more to see so be sure and come back and check out my blog to see what other interesting things we saw!

(((hugs))) ~lisa