national cathedral tour hours

Washington National Cathedral (Tours & Visiting Tips)

A Visitor's Guide to the National House of Prayer in Washington, DC

TripSavvy / Victoria Chamberlain

The National Cathedral in Washington, DC is the sixth largest cathedral in the world. Although it is the home of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington and it has a local congregation of more than 1,200 members, it is also considered to be a national house of prayer for all people. The Cathedral is known as Washington National Cathedral, though its official name is the Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul. The National Cathedral is an impressive structure and if you like to see amazing architecture, taking a tour should be at the top of your "to do" list when visiting the nation's capital. The Cathedral is English Gothic in style with exquisite sculpture, wood carving, gargoyles, mosaics, and more than 200 stained glass windows. The top of the Gloria in Excelsis Tower is the highest point in Washington, DC, while the Pilgrim Observation Gallery in the Cathedral's two west towers offer dramatic views of the city. Over the years, the National Cathedral has been the host of many national memorial services and celebrations. Services were held here to rejoice the end of World Wars I and II. The Cathedral was the setting for State funerals for four presidents: Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, and George H. W. Bush. Following the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks, George W. Bush honored the victims of that day with a special prayer service here. Other events held here have included a National Day of Prayer for Victims of Hurricane Katrina, funeral services for civil rights leader Dorothy Irene Height, memorial services for the victims of the school shooting in Newtown, CT, and former South African President Nelson Mandela. 

Tours of the National Cathedral

You can take a guided or self-paced tour of the National Cathedral and explore its dramatic art and Gothic architecture. Guided tours last approximately 30 minutes and are offered on an ongoing basis throughout the day (check the "Plan Your Visit" calendar on the Cathedral's website for tour availability on the day you're hoping to visit). No reservations are required. Be sure to take some time to walk the grounds as well. The 59-acre property includes gardens, three schools, a gift shop, and a cafe. The following tours are a unique way to visit the National Cathedral:

• Tour and Tea Program: Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. (with some exceptions for holidays). Cost: $40 per person. A guided tour highlights the cathedral’s art, architecture, and history. Afterward, enjoy tea and scones in the beautiful St. Paul Room, complete with panoramic views of Washington, DC. Reservations are required. Make a reservation online.
• Gargoyle Tours: Available April through October. Take a tour with a gargoyle expert and learn the history of these fascinating creatures. The tour includes a slideshow followed by a guided outdoor tour, providing guests a chance to spot many of the whimsical gargoyles and grotesques, including monsters, dogs, cats, birds, horses—and even Darth Vader. Reservations are recommended. Admission is $22 per adult or $18 per child (12 and under), student or senior. Recommended for ages 10 and older. See an updated schedule and make a reservation.
• Tower Climbs: The climb takes between 75 and 90 minutes. You can climb the 333 stairs of the bell tower or explore the Western towers. The towers climb includes a close-up look at many gargoyles and grotesques while visiting the open-air walkway wrapping around two towers that are about 125 feet above the ground. The climb offers the best views of the Cathedral itself and 360-degree views of the surrounding area. Can't choose? Combine the two for a 2.5-hour grand tour. Make a reservation online  and avoid the line. Private tours for groups of 5 to 10 people are also available.
• Garden Tours, Volunteer Work Days, Woods Walks, and Bird Walks: These special events are a part of the All Hallow Guild’s Olmsted Woods Restoration and Stewardship Project. No reservations are required and the tours are free of charge. Call (202) 537-2319 or visit allhallowsguild.org for dates and times.

The Cathedral Grounds - Bishop's Garden and Olmsted Woods

All Hallows Guild was founded in 1916 to maintain the 59 acres of the Cathedral. The landscape was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. who created a park-like setting with open spaces and plants of historic interest that were native to America. Bishop's Garden was named for the Cathedral's first Bishop, Henry Yates Satterlee. The 5-acre Olmsted Woods include a stone footpath, the Pilgrim Way, a contemplative circle, native wildflowers and shrubs, and a host of migratory birds.  An outdoor amphitheater serves as a place for outdoor services.

Holiday Programs

Throughout the Christmas holiday season, you can take a guided tour, hear festive music, make Christmas decorations, or attend a religious service.  See the calendar of holiday events if you intend to join.

3101 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20016. (202) 537-6200. The nearest metro station is Tenleytown-AU. The entrance to the parking garage is at Wisconsin Avenue and Hearst Circle.

$12: Adults (17 and up)

$8: Youth (5 – 17), Senior (65 and older), Students and Teachers (with ID), Military (current & retired) No admission is charged for tours on Sunday.

All groups with 15+ people must make a reservation to visit the Cathedral or its grounds at all times. For more information on group visits, visit the Cathedral's website .

The National Cathedral offers daily services available to the public. Special events are held throughout the year, including organ recitals, choir performances, the annual Flower Mart Festival , jazz, folk and classical concerts and more. For a weekly listing of special events, visit the official website.

• Monday–Friday: 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
• Saturday: 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; Sunday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• Tours: Monday – Saturday 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m.; Sunday as available.
• Gardens: Open daily until dusk.

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Washington National Cathedral

Price & Hours

• Facilities 3.0
• Atmosphere 4.0

U.S. News Insider Tip: Opt for a tour instead of exploring on your own, especially if you want to spot some of the cathedral's weirder gargoyles (like the famous Darth Vader). – Marisa Méndez, Senior Editor

Construction first began on this massive cathedral – the sixth largest in the world – in 1907, but it wasn't actually completed until 1990. (Though work on the building continues, including extensive and ongoing repairs after an earthquake damaged the structure in 2011.) Designed in the Gothic style, the Washington National Cathedral sits surrounded by gardens, creating a pleasant atmosphere for visitors. Take a stroll around the cathedral and peer at its high vaults and flying buttresses, keeping a close eye out for gargoyles (there's one of Darth Vader!). Step inside to admire the building's intricate stained-glass windows.

Recent visitors were wowed by this cathedral's grand architecture and colorful windows. If you're religious, consider attending one of the free worship services, which are offered every Sunday at 11:15 a.m. Prayers led by the choir are also available on Sundays at 4 p.m.

To explore the cathedral, you'll need to purchase tickets, which cost $15 per adult and $10 for children between 5 and 17. Kids 4 and younger visit for free. Exact hours vary by day, given the cathedrals busy schedule of worship and prayer services, concerts, tours and events. Check its online calendar before you go to see times for different activities.

The closest Metro stop to the Washington National Cathedral – Cleveland Park station – sits about a mile away near the Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute . Several buses also stop in the area, and fee-based parking is available in the cathedral's underground parking garage. Rates vary by day of the week and duration of your stay. A gift shop and cafe are also located on-site. Check out the cathedral's official website for more information.

Tours & Tickets

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More Best Things To Do in Washington, D.C.

#1 The Tidal Basin

If you've never been to Washington, D.C. before, plan to spend some time along the Tidal Basin, an approximately 107-acre pond encircled by a 2.1-mile loop trail. Constructed to use the strong tides of the Potomac River to clear silt from the Washington Channel and to maintain steady water levels in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pools , it now also serves as the backdrop to some of D.C.'s best-loved sites. Every spring, the Tidal Basin bursts with color as cherry blossom trees (gifted to the city from Tokyo ) bloom into cotton candy-colored tufts, and they attract hordes of visitors. The cherry blossoms typically hit peak bloom (defined as when 70% of the cherry blossoms are open) in March or April. The National Park Service website makes "bloom watch" updates on its website , where you can check the progress of the trees and see when peak bloom is expected for the year. You can follow the path that leads around the basin, but recent visitors recommended testing the waters in a paddleboat. Paddleboats are available to rent from spring until fall for $28 to $40 per hour (depending on the day) for a four-passenger boat. You can pick up a paddle boat every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from the boat dock near Maine Avenue.

Even if you don't make it to town for the cherry blossoms, you won't want to miss the three major memorials that can be found along the Tidal Basin's shores: the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial . A memorial to Virginia Declaration of Rights author George Mason, also stands nearby.

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Visit Washington, DC!

Hotel and travel tips for visiting Washington, DC

Washington National Cathedral

One of the most visible landmarks in Washington DC, the Washington National Cathedral evokes admiration for its breathtaking architecture. First conceptualized in 1791-though it was more than a century before construction actually began-the National Cathedral took an astounding 83 years to complete. With 231 stained glass windows, 112 gargoyles, a central tower 30 stories high, and a total weight of 150,000 tons, it is a building to be reckoned with. For a spectacular view of the city, climb to the top of the gallery that spans the two west towers.

The cathedral building itself isn’t the only attraction of note on the adjacent 59 acres of land. Included on cathedral property are two outdoor sanctuaries—the Bishop’s Garden and the Olmstead Woods. Inside the Bishop’s Garden’s stone walls are two herb gardens, a rose garden, two perennial borders, a Shadow House and winding stone paths. Olmstead Woods is bisected by the picturesque Pilgrim Path toward the cathedral itself.

Music lovers should visit on Sunday afternoons, when a Cathedral organist plays a recital on the Cathedral’s 10,650-pipe organ. There is a suggested donation of $10 per person. No reservations are required, with the exception of groups. (Check the Cathedral calendar for specific times.)

Travel Tips

The National Cathedral offers guided tours of many varieties. First-time visitors are encouraged to take the Highlights tour , which shows you 30 minutes worth of basic cathedral art and architecture. Other tours focus on the gargoyles, the gardens, and depictions of patriotism in the cathedral. The Tour and Tea tours are specialty, in-depth tours that include a full English tea afterwards. Tour and Tea is offered every Tuesday and Wednesday at 1:30 pm, with the occasional holiday exception, and reservations can be made online . The cathedral also offers 1 hour and 15 minute-long audio tours so visitors can move at their own pace. Audio tours are generally available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. unless there are special services or events taking place in the nave.

Those who prefer to explore the cathedral on their own are welcome and encouraged to do so, and can print a general brochure and guides to finding interesting features of the cathedral beforehand. Families with children are invited to tour the cathedral with the help of a scavenger hunt and children’s guide, found in the “Explore the Cathedral with Children” brochure. Tour brochures are available inside the main entrance of the cathedral at the Information Table.

Visitors wishing to worship at the National Cathedral are encouraged to do so. A list of services can be found on the web site .

Touring Options at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington DC

For more information, visit www.cathedral.org .

Photos of the Washington National Cathedral

Nearby Attractions National Zoo

Suggested Tours Old Town Trolley Tour

December 13, 2012 at 2:08 am

Any chance of still getting passes for midnight mass?

December 14, 2012 at 10:43 pm

According to the Washington National Cathedral web site: “Advance passes are no longer available for the Christmas Eve services. A limited number of same-day passes will be distributed at Church House, near the front of the Cathedral building, shortly before the 6 pm and 10 pm services.” For more information about Christmas services at the Cathedral, visit https://cathedral.org/event/christmas-eve-holy-eucharist/

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Visiting the Washington National Cathedral

With its neo-gothic architecture, medieval-style garden and eerie gargoyles, the city’s cathedral is worth a stop whether you’re worshipping or just looking on in wonder..

Stained-glass windows, Gothic spires and flying buttresses make the Washington National Cathedral look ages old, but the grand church was actually constructed during the 20th century. Though overseen by the Episcopal Church, the house of worship welcomes people of all faiths to its impressive site on the highest point in DC.

History and architecture

Stonemasons and builders erected the cathedral beginning in 1907, completing it 83 years later in 1990. Carved from Indiana limestone, the structure boasts a 30-story-tall central tower, an interior nine-bay nave and 215 stained glass windows, including one embedded with a moon rock. Inside, you’ll find a crypt level where Helen Keller and President Woodrow Wilson are buried. On the nave level, you’ll discover an intricately carved wooden choir area and numerous serene chapels.

On the exterior, you can search out the 112 gargoyles (decorative rain spouts) and grotesques (carved stone creatures) with the help of a map (available at the entrance) or via guided tours conducted during summer months. Be on the lookout for the grotesque of Darth Vader and the hippie gargoyle.

The grounds

You’ll find 59 acres of grounds designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. around the National Cathedral. Enclosed by stone walls, the medieval-style Bishop’s Garden includes herb plantings, roses and a 13th-century Norman arch. Stone paths wind through Olmstead Woods, one of the only old-growth forests in DC. There’s also a cafe  serving coffee, desserts, brunch and lunch located on the grounds in the 1904 Old Baptistry building. Guided tours and a self-guided tour brochure can help you explore the green spaces.

Seeing the Cathedral

Church services and musical performances are the only way to experience the cathedral for free. Sunday services are open to all, and Monday through Thursday at 5:30 p.m., evening concerts fill the nave with singing. 

Outside of spiritual visits, admission to the cathedral is required: $12 for adults,  $8 for children ages 5 to 17 and free for kids 4 and under. The cathedral offers daily guided walking highlights tours with admission at 10:15 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1 p.m. on Sunday, although check the  tour schedule  for the latest updates.

Numerous ticketed specialty tours, including seasonal gargoyle hunts , artisanship-themed walks  and tower climbs , are available to be booked in advance. You can also sightsee with Big Bus Tours , and its hop-on, hop-off tickets let you exit the bus to explore inside the cathedral once you're there.

After the National Cathedral, make a day of it exploring the Upper Northwest neighborhood .

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Reserve Your Spot with Confidence! Full Refunds with 24 Hrs Notice. Reschedule at any point, even after tour, if space allows!

Visiting the Washington National Cathedral

Direction, admission and a self guided tour.

Visiting the Washington National Cathedral is certainly a highlight of any trip to DC.

Located just north of Georgetown, the Washington National Cathedral is the 6th largest cathedral in the world.

There is an admission fee (unless you're attending a service) and it is only open to visitors on select dates (it is open more than it is closed, though!)

Directions, Hours, and Admission

• Guided Cathedral Tours
• Self-Guided Tour of the National Cathedral

Some visitors are surprised to learn that it took 83 years to complete the Cathedral, but a closer look at the magnificent structure reveals the intricacy and precision of the architecture.

The Washington National Cathedral held funeral services of former Presidents Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, and Gerald Ford.

It also serves as the final resting place for Helen Keller and President Woodrow Wilson.

How to get here:

• The nearest metro stops to the Cathedral are the Tenleytown and Woodley Park Metro stops. Each is on the red line and is about a mile and a half from the Cathedral.
• From Tenleytown you can take any 30 series bus south on Wisconsin Avenue until you reach Woodley Avenue and see the Cathedral to the left; from Woodley Park take the 96, 97, or X3 bus toward McLean until you reach the cross streets of Woodley and Wisconsin Avenues and see the Cathedral on your right.
• By Taxi – The Cathedral is a  short cab ride from Georgetown or the DuPont area.
• Daily, however, there are many days the Cathedral is closed to sightseeing due to services or events.
• 10 am–5 pm (some days 3pm) (The Cathedral is open as much as possible around activities but hours vary.)
• Sunday the church is open for services 8 am - 5 pm
• Visitors do require admission if they are there for touring purposes.
• Entering the Cathedral for worship is free.
• $15 per adult, $10 per youth (ages 5–17), senior, military (active or veteran), or student. (as of April 2022)
• Children 4 and under are free.

Highlights:

• The Space Window on the south side of the Cathedral contains a chunk of lunar rock.
• The beautiful music of the great organ during one of the many recitals held on varying Sunday evenings at 5:15 pm. See the full schedule here.
• The Canterbury Pulpit, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his final sermon.
• The Darth Vader Gargoyle! How many cathedrals do you know that has a Darth Vader Gargoyle?!
• Interested in attending a sermon or worship service? Here is the full schedule of services.

Tours of the National Cathedral

We offer guided tours of the National Cathedral on a private basis for small groups.

Washington National Cathedral stands on a hilltop overlooking the National Capitol, like a chunk of medieval European and Gothic architectural history an American capital couldn't possibly own, and is one of the great architectural marvels of the city.

A 90-minute tour of the cathedral's interior with author and guide, Andy Bittner , is to be immersed in what just might be the most intense concentration of 20th-century handcraft on the planet.

At the moment, we are not offering tours of the Cathedral but Cathedral expert Andy Bittner wrote our self guided tour below!

Self-Guided Tour of the Cathedral

There are many ways to be a visitor at Washington National Cathedral.

First and foremost is to realize that Washington National Cathedral is actually a busy, active church in the Protestant Episcopal faith.

Everyone is welcome to attend the cathedral’s public worship services. For more information on the cathedral’s services, consult the calendar at Cathedral.org.

Despite being an active Episcopal church and having the word “National” in its title, the construction of Washington National Cathedral, as well as the ongoing operations in and maintenance of the building, are accomplished solely on funds raised by the cathedral.

Washington National Cathedral receives no funding from the national Episcopal church, no funding from the Episcopal Diocese of Washington (for which it is seat), and certainly received no money from the federal government.

Most of the day-to-day operations of the cathedral are supported by private gifts and donations.

But, the cathedral also charges a sightseeing admission fee, so visitors and sightseers will also play a part in keeping the cathedral open.

The schedule for when the cathedral is open for sightseeing is not entirely regular but is also available on the cathedral’s website.

When the cathedral is open for sightseeing, the cathedral is always trying to offer docent-led tours to walk-in visitors, but, following the pandemic, that is not happening on a regular schedule yet.

We recommend taking a guided tour with DC by Foot guide Andy Bittner , who is also the author of the book, “Building Washington National Cathedral”.

If, however, you find yourself at the cathedral at a time when no other tour is available, we’ve asked Andy to give you a quick tour of some of the cathedral’s highlights.

Although it is commonly called Washington National Cathedral, this church is officially named the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.

It is the seat of the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Washington D.C., and seat of the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A.

But, from its inception, the founders of Washington National Cathedral chose “House of prayer for all people,” as a commitment and “great church for national purposes” as a fundamental part of their mission.

When George Washington chose Pierre L’Enfant to design the new capital city for an emerging nation, L’Enfant allowed space in the city where he suggested, “a great church for national purposes,” should be built.

Of course, the government of the U.S.A. does not build churches, so L’Enfant’s suggestion languished for the better part of a century.

His original location was on the property where the National Portrait Gallery stands today.

The cathedral’s founders, intent on actually finishing a massive church building, chose to accept no funding from the national Episcopal church, no funding from the diocese that was founded around it, and, for most of its existence, had no congregation.

Washington National Cathedral would be built, entirely, from private gifts and donations given specifically toward building the church.

Adopting L’Enfant’s suggestion in the process, the founders of Washington National Cathedral effectively expanded their fundraising base from local or nationally prominent Episcopalians to anyone in the world who thought Washington D.C. could use a true great church.

After exploring many options, the founders of Washington National Cathedral chose a property, well removed from the city at the time, on the most prominent hill overlooking downtown Washington.

The property is called Mount Saint Alban and St. Albans Episcopal Church, the cathedral’s neighbor, predates the cathedral’s foundation stone by over 50 years.

The Mount Saint Alban site is now considered one of the inspired cathedral sites anywhere in the world, for the way Washington National Cathedral towers over the nation’s capital.

STOP 1 West Front:

Welcome to Washington National Cathedral! As you approach the main entrance, with three big entry portals, two towers, and a big round window, you are at the west end of the building. This orientation of a cross-shaped floorplan with the base of the cross to the west is also true at Notre Dame in Paris, Westminster Abbey in London, and St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.

At Washington National Cathedral, this west facing front is the newest part of the building, constructed between 1970 and 1990. The building’s first stone -the foundation stone- is under the opposite end of the building, roughly one-tenth of a mile to the east and was set on September 29, 1907. President Theodore Roosevelt attended and spoke at that service.

The highest, upper-righthand-most stone on the cathedral’s west façade -the final finial- was the stone that completed the cathedral’s construction and was set 83 years after the foundation stone, on September 29, 1990. The President George H.W. Bush attended and spoke at the event.

Walk around to the North side of the Cathedral to your left.

Stop 2 Darth Vader Grotesque:

In the early 1980s, a competition was held in National Geographic’s children’s magazine, World, for schoolchildren to submit design suggestions for four grotesques, technically known as gablet termination stones, high on the cathedral’s west towers. The grand prize winner was a little man doing his job of protecting the building from water, with an umbrella.

The second award went to a girl showing her braces and the third to a cartoonish raccoon. The fourth award got all the attention. A young boy suggested that, since there was so much weird, evil-looking sculpture on the ancient Gothic cathedrals that we don’t understand today, we should put Darth Vader on Washington National Cathedral and let people guess about him in 800 years.

You'll need binoculars, extra zoom on your camera, or good eyesight to see him, as he is about 170 feet up.

How to find the Darth Vader Gargoyle (Grotesque):  Stand on the north side of the Cathedral, on the sidewalk that parallels the wheelchair ramp. Facing the handicapped entrance (at the top of the wheelchair ramp), look very high above at the east facing (the back) side of the cathedral’s 23 story northwest tower.

Very high up on the face of the tower are two very tall arches that appear to contain vents, louvres, shutters or some other kind of horizontal slats. These arches will also appear darker than the surrounding stone. In between the tops of those arches on the center column of the back of the tower, there is a small, triangular, roof-like structure (a gablet) with carvings on its two lower corners.

Darth Vader is the carving on the right corner of that triangle, looking right down at the viewer. (The raccoon is on the other corner. They were placed together, iconographically-speaking, because they are both creatures in black masks.)

Stop 3 Entrance:

The cathedral requires admission.

National Cathedral Ticket Prices:

• $15 per adult, $10 per child (ages 5–12), senior, military (active or veteran), or student.
• No admission charge on Sundays.

Walk straight ahead (south) in the front hall until there are state seals in the floor

Stop 4 Nave:

All 50 states are represented in the National Cathedral with their seals in the narthex floor as you enter, and in several other places as well. As you stand in the narthex (front hall) facing into the nave, the state seals are ordered in lines, left-to-right, that are stacked top-to-bottom.

As if the floor was a sheet of paper, Delaware, first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, is in the upper-left corner and Hawaii, the newest state, is on the lower-right. Now, take a deep breath, put down this guide and walk into the cathedral’s main public space, the nave.

Washington National Cathedral is built from 150,000 tons of weight-bearing Indiana limestone, wrapped around a brick core. Despite being built during the 20 th -century there is no structural steel included in the cathedral’s design. Structurally-speaking, it is an entirely masonry building.

The massive Gothic features are almost overwhelming. The vaulted ceiling is over ten-stories high and the pointed arches of the main arcades, down each side of the room, roughly half that. Each of the large round “boss” stones on the ceiling’s center rib weighs over two tons. The massive ceiling is thrusting the walls outward, between the large clerestory (highest level) windows. That thrust is countered by flying buttresses outside the walls.

Turn around and face the rose window over the west entrance. This is the Creation rose window, by an artist named Rowan LeCompte. There are over 10,000 pieces of glass in this abstract design, intended to evoke the biblical phrase, God said, “Let there be light”.

Rowan created his first window for Washington National Cathedral at the age of 16, was 51 the year the Creation rose window was dedicated, and delivered his final window, Isaiah, when he was 86 years old. Every clerestory (upper level) window in the nave, each of which is the size of the front of a three-story townhouse, was designed by Rowan and that collection is probably the largest, single artist, stained glass commission in the history of stained glass.

Stop 5 Space Window:

There are 231 stained glass windows in Washington National Cathedral. They range in subject matter from the Bible and religious history, our nation’s history, our nation’s geography, to the history of the cathedral itself. Among these windows there are also nature scenes, abstracts, and memorials.

On the south side of the nave, in the middle tier of windows, is a spectacular window that seems to depict space. It is so rich in color and modern in its appearance, it stands out to the viewer. Designed in the late 1960s by an artist named Rodney Winfield, the window is intended to honor people in the fields of science and technology.

Of course, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, humanity’s great achievement in the fields of science and technology were NASA’s Apollo moon missions. In the lower righthand corner of the window, a deep blue and green circle suggests an earth-like planet. Off of that, a white line of trajectory -the looping path we take into space- reaches up and around the big red circle at the center-top.

In the center of that circle is a white ring, and within that white ring is a dark circle. That circle is a piece of the moon, picked up in the Sea of Tranquility in July of 1969, and returned to earth by the Apollo 11 crew. In a church building that may, eventually, double as a time capsule for the century in which it was built, the moon rock is like the great secular relic of the 20 th century.

Stop 6 President Woodrow Wilson Tomb:

Of all the American presidents, Woodrow Wilson is the only whose final resting place is in Washington D.C. When Wilson passed away in 1924, this part of the building was not yet built, so the president was laid to rest in a vault beneath Bethlehem Chapel, on the cathedral’s lower level.

The permanent presidential tomb, in the south aisle of the cathedral’s nave, would be completed in the early 1950s, and Wilson’s remains were translated there on his 100 th birthday, December 28, 1956. Wilson’s second wife, Edith, is laid to rest in the cathedral’s columbarium, on the crypt level, which is also remembered in the president’s tomb space.

Take note… Across the front of the president’s sarcophagus, you will see the seals of the State of New Jersey, where Wilson was governor, the United States, and the seal of Princeton University, where Wilson had been president.

Stop 7 Crossing:

This is where the cross-shaped floorplan crosses. The leg of the cross is the nave, the arms of the cross -north and south- are called transepts, and the head of the cross is called the choir. At the four corners of the crossing are four massive, masonry piers -19’ thick on the main level- which are really the four legs of a 30-story, 15,000-ton bell tower.

That tower, the Gloria in Excelsis Tower, is rare in the world, containing two complete sets of ringing bells: a 53-bell carillon, and above that, a set of ten swinging peal bells.

At the far-right corner of the crossing stands the Canterbury Pulpit. The stone from which this pulpit was carved was quarried in Normandy, France and was built into the Bell Harry Tower at Canterbury Cathedral in the early 15 th century.

Canterbury Cathedral is the primary church in the worldwide Anglican Communion, of which the American Episcopal Church is part. When Washington National Cathedral was still in its planning stages, the British, who were in the midst of a restoration at Canterbury, harvested these stones as a gift to the new American cathedral.

It took a team of stone carvers approximately five years to carve the Canterbury stones into the Canterbury Pulpit. The pulpit’s imagery depicts the development of the English church and the English Bible.

From the beginning, the founders of Washington National Cathedral chose “house of prayer for all people” as a principal mission. As such, everyone is welcome, and the cathedral has a long history of ecumenical outreach and interfaith services. There have been rabbis in the Canterbury Pulpit.

There have been imams in the Canterbury Pulpit. On several occasions, Tibetan Buddhism’s Dalai Lama has spoken from the Canterbury Pulpit, and, in the spring of 1968, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his final Sunday sermon from the Canterbury Pulpit, just days before he was assassinated.

Stop 8 St. John's Chapel

Walk through the wrought-iron gate to the right of the Canterbury Pulpit and you are standing at the junction of three chapels. To your right is War Memorial Chapel, which honors the men and women of the United States that have served in the armed forces. Look for the Iwo Jima flag-raising, the liberation of Paris, and a military cemetery in the stained-glass windows.

At the back of War Memorial Chapel is a statue of Jesus as a small boy with his arms outstretched welcoming children to Children’s Chapel. Children’s Chapel was given in memory of a young boy who died at the age of six, so everything in Children’s Chapel is built to the size of a six-year-old.

Continuing in the aisle passing Children’s Chapel, you are now in St. John’s Chapel. The needlepoint kneelers hanging from the backs of the chairs in St. John’s Chapel memorialize a fascinating list of people from the history of the United States.

The end wall of the chapel -the altar and altar screen- are marvels of 20 th century stone carving. With the exception of four standing statues in niches, the rest of the wall, carved entirely in-place, took two men over two years to complete. 

Step up through the doorway in the wooden screen to the left.

Stop 9 High Altar:

As you enter, you'll see the high altar -the Jerusalem Altar- and the beautiful altar screen to your right. The altar itself is made from stone quarried at a place called Solomon’s Quarries, in Jerusalem, where legends say Solomon's Temple was quarried.

In the floor in front of the altar (hidden) are ten stones brought from St. Catherine’s Monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai, where legend says Moses encountered a burning bush. Symbolically, the Jerusalem Altar stands on the Ten Commandments.

The stone carvings above the altar depict 110 men and women who exemplify the ideals of Christianity, surrounding Christ in Majesty in the center. While most of the altar screen is carved from French limestone, the architect, wanting to create a focal point at the end of a very long room, chose to have the figure of Christ in Majesty, in the center, carved from yellow Texas limestone.

Big, beautiful churches are not always cathedrals and not all cathedrals are big churches. A cathedral is any building housing the seat or throne of a bishop, and the Greek word for seat or throne is cathedra.

The cathedra at Washington National Cathedral is the large stone chair on the north (left) side of the space. This chair is called the Glastonbury Cathedra, as the stones for this chair were brought from the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey, the legendary birthplace of Christianity in England.

As you stand in the choir at Washington National Cathedral, you are almost completely surrounded by a 10,650 (-ish) pipe organ. The console is to the left as you face west, with large pipe display cases high on the left and right. There are more sets of pipes further toward the wooden screen, on top of the minstrel galleries, and the high-pressure Trompette en Chamade is above the altar screen.

What you are seeing is like the tip of an iceberg. Most of the organ pipes are in the triforium -behind the low row of dark arches halfway up the wall- of the entire east end of the building, and range in size from that of your pinky finger to a 32’ pipe, doubled in diameter and laying on its side. That pipe functions, essentially, as a sub-woofer.

Leave through the door in the wooden screen opposite where you entered. Watch your step. Turn left. Proceed through and out of St. Mary’s Chapel. Turn and look back. Off to your left, in the corner of the north transept is a carved screen and stairway.

STOP 10: Stairs to Lower Crypt

The stairs here lead to the crypt level. The mobility challenged may access the crypt via an elevator in the south transept. In what is an innovation for Gothic architecture, Washington National Cathedral has three large, architecturally varied chapels on its crypt level. Beneath the choir, to the left of the bottom of the stairs, is Bethlehem Chapel.

Turn right from the bottom of the stairs, up a few steps, and turn left, and you are moving into the Chapel of St. Joseph of Arimathea. The chapel has stairs down and is beneath the crossing and bell tower. The four columns set into the four corners of the chapel, 27’ in diameter, are, again, the four big legs of the bell tower.

As the Chapel of Joseph of Arimathea is themed on the death and entombment of Jesus, there is a mural behind the altar, the only mural in the building, depicting the funeral procession of Jesus in a way that suggests the Episcopal Church’s processional. At the back of the room is a locked wrought iron gate, which is the entrance to the cathedral’s columbarium.

Among many others laid to rest here, are Woodrow Wilson’s second wife, Edith, renowned 20 th -century religious composer Leo Sowerby, and U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull. It is also the final resting place of Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan, both of whom were cremated and now share the same niche.

In Conclusion…

As of the spring of 2022, the cathedral has not re-opened its gift shop after the COVID pandemic. When it does, the gift shop is beyond St. Joseph’s Chapel and to the right and is an excellent return to the main level. Just proceed through the shop and up the stairs at the other end.

In the meanwhile, the ticket you purchased at the front desk is access to the cathedral for the rest of that day, including leaving and returning. Backtrack through the cathedral, enjoy yourself and look around. There is more to see than you could ever see and, when you’re done with that, go to the front hall, find an elevator, go to the 7th floor, and enjoy the view from the highest, public viewpoint in the region.

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About The Author

Canden Arciniega

North america, united kingdom & ireland, middle east & india, asia & oceania.

Washington National Cathedral

Washington National Cathedral and the grounds surrounding the Cathedral are a beautiful sanctuary in the northwest quadrant of Washington, DC. The Cathedral’s campus – or ‘Close’ – include the beautiful Bishop’s Garden, an outdoor amphitheater, as well as three schools, residences, and other auxiliary buildings. The grounds are generally open to the public during the day.

For more information about the Cathedral, including the art and architecture, visit the Cathedral’s website by clicking here .

For a breakdown of some of the Cathedral’s most iconic sights to visit, click here .

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Hours of Operation

The Nationality Rooms Visitor Center is open during the following hours:

*Some guided tours are available outside of the Nationality and Heritage Rooms Visitor Center operating hours. Click the Schedule a Guided Tour button to see availability.

Nationality & Heritage Rooms Visitor Center +1-412-624-6000, Option 1 [email protected]

When the building is open for classes (weekdays during the Fall and Spring semesters), visitors to the Cathedral of Learning may be able to look into empty Nationality and Heritage Rooms at no cost.

• Guided tours remain in effect and have a per person admission associated with them.
• During academic breaks the Rooms are locked and only available by a guided tour.
• Please note that weekend access to Nationality and Heritage Rooms is only by guided tour.

You may experience the rooms through one of the following options:

Guided Tours

A variety of themes, tour lengths, and times are offered. Details are available on the booking page.

Virtual Tours

Interactive virtual tours are available on request via Zoom. Use the button below to learn more about pricing, content, and to schedule a virtual tour.

Cathedral of Learning 4200 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15260

The Nationality and Heritage Rooms Visitor Center is located on the first floor of the Cathedral of Learning and is accessible without stairs. A wheelchair-accessible entrance is located on the Heinz Chapel facing side of the building (to the left of the 5th avenue entrance). Guests are invited to direct specific questions and needs with the Visitor Services staff by writing to [email protected] or calling 412-624-6000 and selecting option 1.