DC Off the Beaten Path: National Cathedral

Location: 3101 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016 (Near Farragut North/West metros)

Overall rating: 5/10

Ghost rating: 10/10

Would I visit again? No

Freebies: Map

Cost: $10+

Built in the early 20th century, the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Diocese of Washington is a staple of both the city and the Episcopal church. It's the second-largest church in the U.S. (after Saint John the Divine in New York City) and it's the third-tallest building in DC (after the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and the Old Post Office Pavilion.) Starting construction under President Roosevelt, it wasn't 'decidedly finished' until President George H.W. Bush. Even now after earthquakes and because of the need to revitalize, changes are still being made to the structure. Known for its stained glass windows, one much-needed change in process is the redesigning of windows devoted to Confederate soldiers.

Looking at an overview of all American history, the National Cathedral is decidedly not that old. Still, it's seen the state funerals of President Eisenhower, Reagan, Ford, and H.W. Bush. It was also the funeral site for First Lady Edith Wilson and Senator John McCain. It's also famously been a memorial service site for First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, Helen Keller (who is also buried here along with Anne Sullivan), Martin Luther King Jr., Princess Diana, Neil Armstrong, Nelson Mandela, and Queen Elizabeth II, as well as being a remembrance site for casualties of the Vietnam War, 9/11, and the Virginia Tech shooting. It is also the place where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his final Sunday sermon on March 31, 1968, which is something the architecture has grown to reflect.

To enter the cathedral for a standard tour, you need to purchase a ticket online. (Although, I believe the site is open for prayer on Sunday for free.) I personally decided to explore the area on my own with a self-guided tour, a map, and a dream. I struggled to even find the visitor's center and once I did, it was a bit confusing to follow the map vs. how the cathedral is set up. Still, one has to admire the Neo-Gothic structure. While definitely a tourist attraction, the space is still used for private prayer, including little scary boxes where you could trap yourself in at your own peril. However, although signs say to be quiet and respectful, there were a lot of people with old-school camcorders narrating the whole space like they were on the History channel. Overall, I'm not sure how much I missed on the tour, since I don't think I saw everything. However, I'm not totally sure what exactly I missed. I was in and out in 45 minutes and that felt wrong? But I also didn't know where else to go.

Therefore, I would perhaps suggest getting a tour with the docents for 45 minutes. There was a lot to see and a lot of history, so perhaps it would be best to explore the area with an expert rather than me with a map and fear. Plus, there is power in numbers in a spooky place like this. Though, be warned, I did listen into some of the groups and I wasn't... thrilled by what I heard? One guy was really trying to explain why it was normal President Wilson (who is buried here) was racist.

Also, important to note that the exterior of the building is free, so if you just want to come and look at some gargoyles, that's a good free option!

LIKES:

- Architecture: The architecture is gorgeous. Very tall ceilings, very detailed, there's always something to look at.

- Windows: Really beautiful windows that also reflect rainbows!

- Maps: While I've talked trash about the maps, they are informative once you find where you're going

DISLIKES:

- Ghosts: The big thing I didn't like about this building (which is maybe my fault for going along) was it was frankly kind of creepy. My skin was itching the whole time. It's not particularly well-lit, especially around the stairwells, since we're really relying on these windows for all light. Especially going down into the 'crypt' area, I was holding my breath. Obviously, it's a site of burials so that makes sense. In particular, people tend to be unburied in other areas and reburied at the Cathedral which means there's a lot of spirits disturbed in the afterlife. Apparently, there was also a murder of a librarian here, so it's just overall a little creepy to do alone.

- Maps: A little bit confusing. You might have to retrace your steps a few times to try to see everything. There's not much info for anything other than the first floor.

NOT TO BE MISSED:

- Space Window: 1 of the 200 stained glass windows at the National Cathedral has a space theme and it's equipped with an actual lunar rock presented at the dedication service on July 21, 1974 for the fifth anniversary of the moon landing.

- Poetry: The basement features poems for Ukraine weekly, written from prompts.

- Archbishop of Canterbury: The stone where the Archbishop of Canterbury laid his hand in blessing in 1946 is memorialized. You can tell a lot of people have touched it since.

- Helen Keller resting place: Helen Keller has a plaque where her body is interred, along with her teacher, Anne Sullivan. I'm putting this in "not to be missed" because I genuinely did miss it, so that's a big whoopsies for me.

- Matthew Shepard resting place: Portrayed in the play The Laramie Project, Matthew Shepard was a gay University of Wyoming student who was beaten, tortured, and left to die near Laramie in 1998. His ashes were interred in the Cathedral in 2018 with a ceremony presided over by the first openly gay Episcopal bishop Gene Robinson. When I saw there was a chapel and a plaque to Matthew, I honestly did not connect the dots, even though I did see The Laramie Project in college and it has stayed with me. I wish I had fully realized who was buried here so I could have paid my respects.