MY FIRST VISIT INSIDE THE WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL

In high school, when I visited my best friend who lived in the WATERGATE APTS in WASHINGTON, DC (that's crazy, isn't it?!), I always passed the WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL, but never stopped to tour the inside.  I finally had the opportunity to do so last week.  WOW! 

We had the most interesting guide, RUTH ANN, who is a retired teacher from the private Girls' School next door.  She taught there for 47 YEARS!  She was full of humor and interesting stories.

GEORGE WASHINGTON conceived the idea in 1791. The location (the highest ground) was finally identified in 1896 and in 1907 the FOUNDATION was laid.

All major DC FUNERALS and WEDDINGS are held here. There is a seat in the front row RESERVED for the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES and FIRST LADY.  

MARTIN LUTHER KING preached his last Sunday service here and RUTH ANN was seated in the very front row on the side!

While we were waiting for our tour, we walked around the outside of the building and passed this sign explaining that the outdoor construction was repairing damage from the 2011 EARTHQUAKE that really shook the whole WASHINGTON, DC area. I actually felt it here at home, 3 hours north.

Drawn to SCULPTURE, I was fascinated by the tops of columns on the exterior decorated with intricate sculptures; each one telling a story.

This one, in particular, caught my eye, because it was so TINY!

The OUTBUILDINGS (with their beautiful flowers) surrounding the CATHEDRAL are charming.

Naturally, the FRONT DOORS of the CATHEDRAL are intricately designed.

And when you enter the CATHEDRAL you need to STOP, to take it all in.........

An interesting story that RUTH ANN shared with us.......

Three of the ASTRONAUTS who landed on the moon had children in her school. One of them, ASTRONAUT MICHAEL COLLINS, brought back a piece of the moon and donated it to the CHURCH. If you look very closely, in the CENTER of the TOP CIRCLE (the MOON), you will see the piece that he brought back.

Some additional BRILLIANT and COLORFUL STAINED GLASS windows -

DAVID AND GOLIATH are featured in this TAPESTRY.

Colorful handcrafted NEEDLEPOINTS are everywhere.

HANDCARVED WOOD decor........

Statues of GEORGE WASHINGTON and ABRAHAM LINCOLN are stationed near the entrance to the CATHEDRAL.

And here is an example of the EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE to the interior floor.

 Beautiful ALTARS.

We ended our tour with an elevator ride to the 7th Floor - the TOP FLOOR of the front TOWER. Can you see the WASHINGTON MONUMENT in the center of this window view?

The TOWER HALLWAY is marvelous!

Thus ends our WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL tour. After visiting multiple GRAND CATHEDRALS in Europe, it's ABOUT TIME that I visited the interior of this one!!

JOAN