Ever since we studied the Middle Ages, I’ve been wanting to take my kids on a field trip to Washington’s National Cathedral.
Since it’s the sixth largest cathedral in the world, it was the closest chance we’d ever get to European art history.
Despite living in the Washington DC area for seven years, we finally got a chance to see the cathedral yesterday.
Impressively, it was a day after snow, which made a grand photographic setting, even though we were freezing with nearly zero degrees with wind chill.
HISTORY
In 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt inaugurated the beginning construction of the cathedral with the laying of the cornerstone, preceded by a speech.
Although Bethlehem Chapel opened for services five years later, the rest of the cathedral was still undergoing construction.
After a pause in construction during WWI, General John J. Pershing raised funds to continue building the cathedral.
Eighty-three years after President Roosevelt laid the cornerstone, President George H. W. Bush was present in 1990 for the placing of the final finial at the top of the cathedral.
The scaffolding at the top is for the repair of the earthquake damage incurred in 2011.
We loved studying the Middle Ages: Knights. Castles. Sir Galahad. King Arthur. The Knights of the Round Table.
ART HISTORY
Then we studied art history and learned about the incredible building of Gothic cathedrals.
The point of the architecture is to lift our eyes heavenward, which is reflected in most of these photos.
Flying-buttresses allow the enormous weight of the roof to not require thick walls which in turn allow a myriad of thin stained-glass windows.
The spots of colorful pinks and whites are from the stained glass.
To our surprise there was a concert of choral music accompanied by the pipe organ.
Throughout the choral strains that majestically soared to the rafters, my eyes kept glancing to the grandeur of the heights…as the architects intended.
Then we found a room with a statue of George Washington, dappled with splashes of pinks and purples from the stained glass.
For more photos, check my Flickr set.
COMMENTS FROM MY OLD BLOG
Black Tulip – January 23, 2017 at 5:37 PM – What a beautiful building!
lahbluebonnet – January 23, 2017 at 6:00 PM – I hope to visit some cathedrals in your part of the world someday! =)
Laurie
