Washington Cathedrals. Washington National Cathedral Church Washington

Every person has a certain place on earth where he feels calm and comfortable. This place guarantees him some kind of temporary protection from life’s troubles and stresses and, as it were, blesses the person on the path he has chosen. Everyone can draw their own parallel in their city or country, and someone may not agree with me at all. But still, I consider the Washington National Cathedral to be precisely that intimate and close one, the walls of which create a certain aura of reliability and optimism. I want to talk about him in this essay.

First, a few facts

1. Washington Cathedral is the second largest in the United States and the sixth largest in the world
2. Washington Cathedral is the TALLEST building in Washington DC; its main spire goes up to a height of 206 meters
3. The cathedral began construction in 1907 and took 83 years to build!!!

The cathedral is still celebrating its centenary, as evidenced by the festive banners on the facade


Washington National Cathedral also has a more official name - the Cathedral of Saints Paul and Peter. This cathedral is probably the last true representative of Gothic architecture in the world, since it was assembled purely from stone bricks without the participation of concrete blocks and other modern construction means. Today the cathedral is a representative of the Episcopal Church in Washington. The cathedral captivates with its beauty and splendor, which is reflected in the list of the Most Popular Architectural Works of the United States created by the American National Institute of Architects. In this list the cathedral is in third place after the White House and the Empire Building


In general, it is difficult to convey my impressions of this complex. It's hard to describe it in one sentence. This is primarily a majestic religious building, made in the best traditions of church architecture. Every detail conveys the desire of the architects to achieve perfection.


The interior of the cathedral also amazes with its splendor. Unfortunately, the primitiveness of my camera and photography skills did not allow me to properly convey the interiors of the cathedral. As they say, the rich you are, the happier you are
Such stained glass windows in the cathedral different sizes and more than two hundred forms


I would not call the magnificence of the cathedral pompous. There is no sense of redneckness or, more simply put, show-off here. The cathedral is open to everyone. The atmosphere is full of hospitality and cordiality, and FREE tours are held every fifteen minutes. Here you don’t feel that the cathedral belongs to any particular Catholic branch, and everyone here can be alone with themselves.

A large round window is called a “pink” window, referring not to the color, but to the flower, the shape of which this stained glass window resembles. It is also noticeable that on each seat there is a volume of the Bible.

A place where anyone can light a candle. There are many such places around the cathedral; I don't remember the exact quantity

A little more interior decoration


Also, the cathedral is, like many other architectural complexes of the American capital, an example of national patriotism, which is probably unusual for churches in Russia

Lincoln Monument

Washington Monument

It should also be noted that the cathedral, although called “national”, is financed ONLY from private donations. And it was built only with private donations.
Another function of the cathedral, as one of the city's dominant features, is the opportunity to see the American capital from the observation room on the top floor of the cathedral. This room is always open to visitors absolutely free of charge. It can only be closed during special ceremonies inside the cathedral. Natasha and I went there on the elevator that the cathedral is equipped with
In the observation room there is a small exhibition of sculptural elements of the cathedral


Natasha was in this room for the first time, and snatching the camera from me, she decided to capture a couple of interesting shots. To avoid copyright issues, the following two frames belong to her.
Probably the highest stained glass window in the cathedral


Panorama of Washington from the cathedral window

Visible right in the foreground Orthodox Church Greece. A little further and to the left you can see the Russian Orthodox Church. In the distance the Potomac River is visible, beyond which, no longer in Washington, but in the state of Virginia, I see the satellite cities of Arlington and Alexandria.
Another panorama. The Washington Monument and the Capitol building are visible on it.

It should be noted that at night the cathedral is illuminated and the spectacle is quite enchanting. Information about illumination is provided on this board.

There are quite a lot of such memorial plaques around the cathedral, trying to tell as much as possible about ourselves and express gratitude to patrons and sponsors.
There is a place near the cathedral that is most saturated with comfort - this is the Bishop's Garden. Here's the entrance.

Unfortunately, the garden must be inspected in summer or late spring. At the moment, it is impossible to convey what causes the coziness and charm in this small botanical corner. But I'll try.....
General panorama of the garden

Small alley of rose bushes. These bushes are now pruned. Probably by May they will somehow be forced to bloom

Fountain with fish

Another panorama of the cathedral garden in early spring

Here's a small gazebo in the Bishop's Garden

View of the cathedral from the gazebo

It’s a pity that it’s impossible to visually convey the impressions of a July or August evening in this garden. You sit in the cozy aura of a small garden in absolute silence, and above you rises the cathedral, illuminated in the night sky

The final design of the cathedral shows a mixture of Gothic and medieval architectural styles.

The main building material was light brown sandstone from central Indiana quarries. Modern materials were used only for beams and rafters, which were made of wood and steel. In addition, concrete was used for the foundation of the structures supporting the bells and the floor of the western towers.

The pulpit, or music stand, was carved from stones, and the bishop's pulpit was made from stone provided by Glastonbury Abbey. The high, or Jerusalem, altar is made of sandstone from Solomon's quarries near the city, from which stone was extracted for the construction of Solomon's Temple. Ten stones from the Chapel of Moses are placed in the floor in front of the altar, symbolizing the Ten Commandments.

Of the more than 200 glass mosaic windows, the most famous is the so-called. a "space window" commemorating the landing of man on the moon, which includes a fragment of moon rock inlaid into the center of the mosaic.

Burials of famous people

Ashington Cathedral and its columbarium are the burial place of many famous Americans.

• George Dewey (1837-1917) - US Admiral
• Helen Adams (1880-1968) - American writer
• Anne Sullivan (1866-1936) - renowned educator
• Stuart Symington (1901-1988) - American politician, senator and presidential candidate
• Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924) - 28th President of the United States
• Edith Wilson (1872-1961) - Woodrow Wilson's second wife, First Lady
• Cordell Hull (1871-1955) - 47th US Secretary of State

It looks as if this majestic structure was built somewhere in Europe during the Middle Ages.

In fact, it was finally completed relatively recently in 1990.

It can be said that the classic Gothic style of the Washington Cathedral reflects the long history of its construction.

Already in 1792, the city planner Pierre Enfant envisaged the construction of a national church on the site where the National Portrait Gallery is now located.

A century later, in 1893, Congress allowed the Protestant Episcopal Church to build a cathedral in the District of Columbia. In 1896, a 23-hectare site on Mount St. Albans was chosen as the site for a new temple.

Construction

Construction of the Washington National Cathedral began in 1907, but was interrupted by the First World War. When construction resumed, the original architects Frederick Bodley and Henry Vaughan had already died.

American architect Philip Hubert Froman is considered the chief architect of the cathedral from 1921 to 1972.

Construction was halted again during World War II and in 1977 when the fund that raised funds from gifts and donations ran out of money. By this time the central tower and nave were already completed.

In 1980, work resumed. In 1982, the Pilgrim observation deck opened - it offers great view on . A year later, construction began on the western tower.

Finally, in September 1990, 83 years after construction began, the last stone was put in place.

Cathedral

Washington Cathedral, officially known as the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul, is 92 meters high and 158 meters long. The western towers reach a height of 71 meters.

The buildings were constructed primarily from limestone, and the use of concrete and steel structures was kept to a minimum. Instead, medieval methods were used, such as ribbed vaults and flying buttresses.

Washington Cathedral is artfully decorated with religious and national motifs. One of the carvings is even believed to depict Darth Vader from Star Wars.

One of the cathedral windows is decorated with stained glass in honor of the first moon landing.

And the largest stained glass window is made in the northern rose window, which is 8 meters in diameter. The cathedral also contains 110 gargoyles, carved creatures that drain water through gutters from the walls of the building.

Presidential Funeral

Funeral services for American presidents Woodrow Wilson, Dwight Eisenhower and, more recently, Ronald Reagan were held at the National Cathedral.

Washington Cathedral is located at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Wisconsin Avenue and can be visited daily with a guided tour.

The Washington Cathedral is the main cathedral of the Anglican Church in America. Despite its distinct neo-Gothic appearance, the temple is very young - its construction ended in 1990. True, the cathedral took 83 long years to build. The building, made of light sandstone, is monumental and majestic; in terms of size, the cathedral is one of the ten largest neo-Gothic cathedrals in the world.

The temple is huge and its interior is also designed in a strict neo-Gothic style. The inside is decorated with more than 200 windows with various mosaics. The fact that the temple is modern is reminded by the very popular “space window” dedicated to the landing of man on the moon. There are also 10 chapels with very different designs.

A good American tradition is for newly elected presidents of the country to visit the cathedral immediately after taking office, that is, after the inauguration. Many famous Americans are also buried here.

St John's Cathedral

St. John's Cathedral, located on Lafayette Square, is rightly nicknamed the “Church of Presidents.” After all, the cathedral is located practically next to the White House. Every president who has ever occupied the chair of the head of state came to this church at least once. This tradition was started in 1815, immediately after the opening of the cathedral, by President James Madison, who took a fancy to the 28th bench, which has since become the “presidential” bench.

Since the introduction of the U.S. Governors' Bench, the seats have gone through several numbering changes. Now the “Presidential Bench” bears the number 54; it has been fenced off from the seats for ordinary parishioners. This bench was designed by Henry Latrobe, a restorer of the Capitol and the White House in the post-war years.

The church building is in the shape of a Greek cross, made of plastered brick. The project belongs to Benjamin Latrobe, who built the American Capitol. The first rector of St John's Cathedral was the Rev William Dickinson Hawley, who held the post from 1817 to 1845. At the same time he was chaplain of the Senate.

The cathedral bell deserves special attention. It weighs about 450 kilograms and was cast by Joseph Revere in Boston. There were two such bells in Washington, but only one bell, placed in the bell tower of St. John's Cathedral in 1822, continues to function to this day.

Washington National Cathedral, or the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, is the main cathedral of the Anglican Episcopal Church in the United States and is administered by the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation. The cathedral building is located in northwest Washington, at the intersection of Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues.
The cathedral was built according to the design of the American architect George Frederick Bodley.

History of the construction of the cathedral

Decision to build in Washington Cathedral was adopted by the US Congress on January 6, 1893.
The first stone of the foundation of the cathedral was laid on September 29, 1907 in the presence of the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. Construction of the building continued until 1990. The Washington Cathedral was inaugurated in the presence of the 41st President of the United States, George H. W. Bush.

Architecture

The cathedral building was built in the neo-Gothic style from light brown sandstone brought from the quarries of Indiana. The building's beams and rafters are made of wood and steel. Concrete was used to make the foundation.
The pulpit was carved from the stones of Canterbury Cathedral, the main Anglican church in Great Britain, and the bishop's pulpit was made of stone brought from Glastonbury Abbey, the oldest in England. The Jerusalem, or High Altar, is made of sandstone brought from the Solomon quarries of Jerusalem, from where the stone was mined for the construction of the First Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem, built back in 950 - 586. BC. Ten stones from the Chapel of Moses on Mount Sinai were laid in the floor in front of the altar - the place where Moses received the 10 commandments and the tablets of faith.
The cathedral's windows, of which there are more than two hundred, are decorated with mosaics. The most famous window is the so-called “space” window, made with an inlay in the center of a fragment of moonstone and placed in honor of man landing on the moon.
The height of the cathedral is 91 meters. Since the building of the Cathedral is located on a hill, its towers are located at an altitude of 206 meters above sea level.
The Washington Cathedral building is the second largest in the United States after St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York and the sixth largest in the world.
The earthquake that occurred on August 23, 2011 caused significant damage to the Washington Cathedral - three spiers of one of the towers were broken, and the fourth spire was leaning. Other parts of the cathedral were also damaged.

Cathedral choirs

The Washington Cathedral's Men's and Boys' Choir was founded in 1909 and is one of very few cathedral choirs in the United States to sing in the English choral tradition. All the boys who sing in the choir attend the cathedral school.
In 1997, the cathedral Choir of men and girls was founded. Both choirs take part in cathedral services. The Washington Cathedral Choir has recorded several CDs, including a Christmas album. The recorded albums “Requiem for the Victims of Nazi Persecution” and “America the Beautiful” recently premiered.
Both choirs rehearse daily on weekdays. Choir rehearsals are included in the school schedule. The choristers sing at the evening service - the Boys' Choir on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the Girls' Choir on Mondays and Wednesdays. A national choir sings at a Sunday service. Choirs also sing at numerous regional and national events.
The Nativity service from the Washington Cathedral is broadcast nationally every year.

Cathedral Organ

The Great Cathedral Organ, made by Ernest M. Skinner & Son, was installed in 1938 and consisted of 8,400 pipes. Then, in 1963, it was expanded by the efforts of the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company. The organ underwent further modernization in 1970 and 1975 and currently consists of 189 rows and 10,647 pipes.
The Cathedral Organ is the largest organ in Washington DC and one of the 20 largest organs in the world.