The Washington National Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, is the second largest cathedral in the US and a major tourist attraction. It has hosted historic events and is a National House of Prayer where all faiths are welcome. Plans for the cathedral date back to the 18th century, and it was completed in 1990 after 83 years of construction. It is made of Indiana limestone and features Gothic architecture, including bay windows, flying buttresses, vaulted ceilings, and arches. It has been the site of countless prayer services and national memorials.
The Washington National Cathedral is located in Washington, DC in the United States. It is officially known as the Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, and as the second largest cathedral in the United States, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has hosted some twenty historic events, including the funerals of four US presidents and countless memorials and remembrances. Washington National Cathedral was built beginning in 1907 and began services in 1912.
Plans for Washington National Cathedral – in its nascent form, a church to serve national purposes – date back to the 18th century when George Washington commissioned Major Pierre L’Enfant to plan the layout and function of the nation’s capital. L’Enfant planned a national place of worship and imagined a large cathedral. While its original location was not the definitive location for the Washington National Cathedral, plans to build such a site were made over a century later. Today, the cathedral is a major tourist attraction in the Washington area, in addition to regular members who attend the church.
While the cathedral opened just five years after the initial construction began, the Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Paul would be under construction for 83 years. Throughout its history, the cathedral has evolved physically, but has remained an active place of worship. The final phase of construction was completed in 1990 while President George HW Bush was in office. The cathedral is made of Indiana limestone and is designed as a Gothic structure. It features several bay windows, flying buttresses, vaulted ceilings and many arches throughout the building. Some specific materials came from other locations around the world, such as the stones in front of the altar, which came from Mount Sinai in Jerusalem.
Known as a National House of Prayer where all faiths are welcome, the Washington National Cathedral has hosted countless prayer services attended by US presidents and other notable politicians and leaders from around the world. In times of national crisis, the cathedral often becomes the focal point of national mourning, prayer and worship. Memorial services were held there shortly after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and a memorial service was held shortly after the killing of Martin Luther King, Jr.. He delivered his final sermon in the cathedral just days before the assassination of him.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
