Washington National Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, known to the world as Washington National Cathedral, crowns Mount Saint Alban as the highest point in the U.S. capital. Begun in 1907 with a foundation stone laid in the presence of President Theodore Roosevelt and completed in 1990, it was built entirely in 14th-century English Gothic style, with flying buttresses, vaulted ceilings, and more than 200 stained-glass windows, including one embedded with a lunar rock.
Though Episcopal, the cathedral serves as a spiritual home for the nation, hosting state funerals, presidential prayer services, and interfaith gatherings. Its details reward the curious: gargoyles and grotesques line the exterior, among them a famous carving of Darth Vader high on the northwest tower, the playful result of a children's design competition.
With its 300-foot Gloria in Excelsis central tower and a 53-bell carillon, the cathedral is both a major Washington landmark and an active place of worship. It draws hundreds of thousands of visitors a year for tours, concerts, and services, weathering and recovering from a 2011 earthquake that damaged its pinnacles and spires.
- Annual visitors
- ≈ 270,000
- Location
- 38.9306, -77.0708
- Local time
- 18:35 (America/New_York)
🕘 Visiting hours
| Mon | 10:00–17:30 |
| Tue | 10:00–20:00 |
| Wed | 10:00–17:30 |
| Thu | 10:00–20:00 |
| Fri | 10:00–17:30 |
| Sat | 10:00–16:00 |
| Sun | 08:30–16:00 |
Sightseeing hours; vary for worship and events. Sunday morning is primarily for services. approximate on weekday evening extensions.
✨ Saints & blessed venerated here
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Saint Peter Saint
Patron; the north tower is named for him, with a west-facade trumeau statue and bronze gates of his life.
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Saint Paul Saint
Patron; the south tower is named for him, with a trumeau statue of his conversion and bronze doors of his life.
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Saint Joseph of Arimathea Saint
The crypt-level Chapel of St. Joseph of Arimathea is dedicated to him.
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Saint Mary Saint
St. Mary's Chapel is dedicated to her with stained glass, carved wood, and Renaissance tapestries of her life.
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Saint John Saint
St. John's Chapel is named for him, with needlepoint and stitched artistry.
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Saint John the Divine Saint
Honored in the Gothic program of apostles and evangelists in carvings and stained glass.
Care & donations
Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation
Suggested admission donation for tourist visits; accepts gifts and memberships
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