Gargoyles and gardens at the Washington National Cathedral

I'm putting a disclaimer out here right away...I'm not a religious person so when I write about churches, monasteries and cathedrals I do respect the religions they represent but my takeaways are more of the architecture, natural beauty and sociological aspects of places defined by a massive subset of our society as "sacred".  I was raised as a young girl going to church and I find that faith can be a great resource to many people but personally, I do not practice any particular religion.

Late last month, I decided to check out the National Cathedral in NW DC since I'd seen this giant structure after coming home from the National Zoo a few weeks earlier.  The sheer size of the building alone commands one's attention but I was captivated by the intricate detail and the architectural beauty of the Cathedral.  I can easily see why it has been designated as our national Place of Prayer.

I'm a planner so I always check the web for information about a location I intend to visit and write up for a piece.  I was surprised at the breadth and depth of the Cathedral's website--there are SO many things to do at the Cathedral that I'll definitely have to take a few trips back just to cover all the activities.

I happened to visit on an overcast day, which wasn't the most flattering for the gothic styled architecture but it was perfect for taking photos in the Bishop's Garden!  As a transplant resident to D.C. I often find myself seeing well-known places like the Cathedral or the Smithsonian as fresh and new when as a writer I know they are not but I think the thing that long-time residents of the area overlook are the details which can make repeat visits to a location an entirely new experience.  I try to put that across in my pieces by providing a lot of links for further information.  I came here from the West Coast and while sure we had a handful of museums and interesting pieces of architecture, the quality of such things in the D.C. area in comparison is astounding!

Either way, Whether you’re religious, an atheist or agnostic, the Washington National Cathedral is a must-see structure in D.C. (read more...)