Amira Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 What are some churches or other religious sites in Washington DC that you recommend visiting as a tourist, either because the building is interesting or for its history? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethel Mertz Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Washington National Cathedral Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink and Green Mom Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 The National Shrine at Catholic University. http://www.nationalshrine.com/site/c.osJRKVPBJnH/b.4719297/k.BF65/Home.htm 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YaelAldrich Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 You could try the National Synagogue, although I don't think it beautiful like the other places mentioned. I would go in the morning for Shacharit or the late afternoon for Mincha/Ma'ariv. The rabbi is very nice. Maybe call him ahead of time? It is pretty close to the zoo so you could make it a day. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YaelAldrich Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 There is an eensey-weensey Jewish museum in DC. One of the sites is an old synagogue. https://www.jhsgw.org/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YaelAldrich Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 :) Or the 6th and I Synagogue. It's interesting as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 (edited) We loved the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The parking is free, the tour is free and (to us) pretty much everything about it was better than the National Cathedral. We visited both on the same day. You could probably do a third in one day, but two was enough for us being as we had 4 hours on the road to get to DC and back. And when I say we loved this basilica...we loooooved this basilica. Read their website for lots of info. It's the largest RCC church in America and one of the 10 largest churches in the world. We spent a long time exploring it. When we go to places like this, I let one of my kids be the leader and we just follow him around as he explores. We did that for a bit and then took the tour. The guide was so enthusiastic about everything he talked about. It was great. The person at the National Cathedral was a bit boring and mumbled and then an event started so we had to cut our (expensive, to me) tour short because of that. I paid a lot of money in parking and on the tour for a short, uninspired speech that I couldn't even hear. Maybe the National Cathedral would have been better with a better guide and if it wasn't cut short. However, there wasn't as much to look at at the National Cathedral compared to the basilica. We stayed for hours just looking at things at the basilica. I loved it that there was a constant flow of parishioners coming and going to pray. It felt vibrant and alive. Edited February 11, 2016 by Garga 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Definitely the National Cathedral, and possibly Dalghren Chapel at Georgetown. I don't know if the latter is open to the public. When I went back in the 80s I was with a Georgetown grad.student. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daria Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 St. Nicholas Cathedral (Russian Orthodox) has gorgeous iconography 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 It's too bad the national cathedral is expensive. I think it used to be free but donations were accepted. We enjoyed our tour there and purposely chose a day when we could see an organ demo. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 St. Nicholas Cathedral (Russian Orthodox) has gorgeous iconography http://www.stnicholasdc.org/schedule Look at the bottom of the linked page for info about touring. :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 It's too bad the national cathedral is expensive. I think it used to be free but donations were accepted. We enjoyed our tour there and purposely chose a day when we could see an organ demo. Wow, I did not know they charged now. I find it rather embarrassing, as an Episcopalian (the denomination of the NatCath). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted February 11, 2016 Author Share Posted February 11, 2016 Wow, I did not know they charged now. I find it rather embarrassing, as an Episcopalian (the denomination of the NatCath). I do think it's reasonable to charge a fee since I'm sure that dealing with a lot of tourists is expensive. Sundays are always free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 (edited) I can't think of what the expense would be? OP, if you are willing to go slightly out of DC into VA, our church is "George Washington's church." We have docents that will show you around. There is still Civil War graffiti carved into it, and it's been restored back to GW's box pews and such. www.pohick.org Edited February 11, 2016 by Chris in VA 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daria Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 I do think it's reasonable to charge a fee since I'm sure that dealing with a lot of tourists is expensive. Sundays are always free. Sunday through Thursday there is a free Evensong every evening. The boys from St. Alban's are amazing! It's only the tour that costs money. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted February 11, 2016 Author Share Posted February 11, 2016 http://www.cathedral.org/visit/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Range Mom Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Alexandria's Christ Church. This is where George Washington went to church, and is a lovely building. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daria Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 The Franciscan Monastery has lovely gardens with replicas of many sites considered Holy by Catholics. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TianXiaXueXiao Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 You should definitely check out St. John the Baptist Russian Orthodox Cathedral. It was founded by the venerable St. John Maximovitch and the church is breathtakingly beautiful. http://stjohndc.work/Russian/english.htm 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Sunday through Thursday there is a free Evensong every evening. The boys from St. Alban's are amazing! It's only the tour that costs money.My life-friend has taught at St. Albans fo 30 years. :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Go here! http://www.myfranciscan.org The website is a bit busy, so just google images of "holy land in DC" for a better idea. It's a Franciscan monastery that you can just walk around and it has all these life-sized replicas of holy sites around the world. It's peaceful and beautiful and great for photos especially when their gardens are in bloom. We just happened upon it when DS had an appt at a nearby children's hospital. Nobody knows about it but it's so pretty. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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