Washington National Cathedral Church

Address: 3101 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA

Website: https://cathedral.org

Admission: Free entry to the Cathedral; donations requested. Guided tours and some events may have fees.

Washington National Cathedral is the Episcopal cathedral in Washington, D.C., built in the Gothic Revival style and completed in 1990 after a construction period that began in 1907. It serves as a national house of worship and a venue for state and civic ceremonies.

The cathedral’s interior includes a long nave, transepts and numerous side chapels with stained glass, sculpture and memorials. The building also contains a crypt with notable burials and chapels used for both private worship and public observance.

The project was planned and funded over many decades, incorporating traditional Gothic forms with 20th-century construction methods and artisanship. The cathedral hosts services, concerts, state events and guided tours for visitors interested in its architecture and memorials.

The site occupies a raised location in northwest Washington, D.C., with landscaped grounds and gardens that are accessible to the public and linked to nearby neighbourhoods and transport routes.

• Construction timeline: Construction spanned much of the 20th century, beginning in 1907 and formally completed in 1990, resulting in one of the largest Gothic Revival cathedrals in the United States.
• Notable interior features: Contains the tomb of President Woodrow Wilson and a range of named chapels and stained-glass windows, including a commemorative window with material associated with lunar missions.

What to See#

• Nave and chapels: Longitudinal nave and transepts formed in the Gothic Revival style with numerous side chapels and sculptural memorials reflecting national and ecclesiastical themes.
• Crypt and tombs: Crypt and burial spaces that include the final resting place of a U.S. president, visited as part of the cathedral’s historical exhibits.
• Gardens and grounds: Gardens and grounds surrounding the cathedral that host outdoor memorials and provide views over the surrounding neighbourhood.

Washington National Cathedral is at 3101 Wisconsin Avenue NW in the northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C. By public transit take the Metrorail Red Line to either Tenleytown-AU or Cleveland Park and then walk or take a short bus/taxi ride; Tenleytown-AU is roughly a 15-25 minute walk along Wisconsin Avenue. By car it’s about 5 miles (≈8 km) northwest of downtown Washington (Massachusetts Ave / central business district), reachable via Wisconsin Avenue NW with on-site visitor parking.

• Aim for midweek mornings to explore the cathedral with fewer tour groups; check the cathedral's public schedule first because services and events close parts of the building to visitors.
• Book the tower tour in advance if you want the tower viewpoint and allow time to see the Bishop's Garden and cloister - also look for the northwest grotesque famously modeled as Darth Vader on the exterior.
• Enter through the main west portal for the most direct access to visitor information, guided tours, and the main nave.