Washington National Cathedral - wikipedia Washington National Cathedral Washington National Cathedral U.S. National Register of Historic Places Washington National Cathedral is officially dedicated as the `` Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Diocese of Washington ''. Show map of Washington, D.C. Show map of the US Show all Location Wisconsin Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. Coordinates 38 ° 55 ′ 50.05 '' N 77 ° 4 ′ 15.13 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 38.9305694 ° N 77.0708694 ° W ﻿ / 38.9305694 ; - 77.0708694 Coordinates : 38 ° 55 ′ 50.05 '' N 77 ° 4 ′ 15.13 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 38.9305694 ° N 77.0708694 ° W ﻿ / 38.9305694 ; - 77.0708694 Built 1907 -- 1990 Architect George Frederick Bodley, Philip Hubert Frohman Architectural style Neo-Gothic NRHP reference # 74002170 Added to NRHP May 3, 1974 The west rose window was dedicated in 1977 in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ( and Supreme Governor of the Church of England ) and 39th President Jimmy Carter. The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Diocese of Washington, commonly known as Washington National Cathedral, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church located in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The structure is of Neo-Gothic design closely modeled on English Gothic style of the late fourteenth century. It is both the second - largest church building in the United States, and the fourth - tallest structure in Washington, D.C. The cathedral is the seat of both the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Michael Bruce Curry, and the Bishop of the Diocese of Washington, Mariann Edgar Budde. In 2009, nearly 400,000 visitors toured the structure. Average attendance at Sunday services in 2009 was 1,667, the highest of all domestic parishes in the Episcopal Church that year. The Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation, under the first seven Bishops of Washington, erected the cathedral under a charter passed by the United States Congress on January 6, 1893. Construction began on September 29, 1907, when the foundation stone was laid in the presence of President Theodore Roosevelt and a crowd of more than 20,000, and ended 83 years later when the `` final finial '' was placed in the presence of President George H.W. Bush in 1990. Decorative work, such as carvings and statuary, is ongoing as of 2011. The Foundation is the legal entity of which all institutions on the Cathedral Close are a part ; its corporate staff provides services for the institutions to help enable their missions, conducts work of the Foundation itself that is not done by the other entities, and serves as staff for the Board of Trustees. The Cathedral stands at Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues in the northwest quadrant of Washington. It is an associate member of the recently organized inter-denominational Washington Theological Consortium. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2007, it was ranked third on the List of America 's Favorite Architecture by the American Institute of Architects. Contents 1 History 1.1 Construction 1.2 National House of Prayer 2 Major events 2.1 Major services 2.2 2011 earthquake 2.3 Lee - Jackson stained glass windows 3 Financial concerns 4 Architecture 4.1 Architects 4.2 Images of architectural details 5 Leadership and funding 6 Worship 7 Music 8 Burials 9 References in popular culture 10 See also 11 References 12 Bibliography 13 External links History Construction In 1792, Pierre L'Enfant 's `` Plan of the Federal City '' set aside land for a `` great church for national purposes. '' The National Portrait Gallery now occupies that site. In 1891, a meeting was held to renew plans for a national cathedral. On January 6, 1893, the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation of the District of Columbia was granted a charter from Congress to establish the cathedral. The 52nd United States Congress declared in the act to incorporate the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation of the District of Columbia that the `` said corporation is hereby empowered to establish and maintain within the District of Columbia a cathedral and institutions of learning for the promotion of religion and education and charity. '' The commanding site on Mount Saint Alban was chosen. Henry Yates Satterlee, first Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Washington, chose George Frederick Bodley, Britain 's leading Anglican church architect, as the head architect. Henry Vaughan was selected supervising architect. Construction started September 29, 1907, with a ceremonial address by President Theodore Roosevelt and the laying of the cornerstone. In 1912, Bethlehem Chapel opened for services in the unfinished cathedral, which have continued daily ever since. When construction of the cathedral resumed after a brief hiatus for World War I, both Bodley and Vaughan had died. Gen. John J. Pershing led fundraising efforts for the church after World War I. American architect Philip Hubert Frohman took over the design of the cathedral and was thenceforth designated the principal architect. Funding for the National Cathedral has come entirely from private sources. Maintenance and upkeep continue to rely entirely upon private support. National House of Prayer The United States Congress has designated the `` Washington National Cathedral '' as the `` National House of Prayer. '' During World War II, monthly services were held there `` on behalf of a united people in a time of emergency. '' Before and since, the structure has hosted other major events, both religious and secular, that have drawn the attention of the American people, as well as tourists from around the world. Major events Major services The 2004 state funeral of the 40th President, Ronald Reagan State funerals for three American Presidents have been held at the cathedral : 34th President Dwight D. Eisenhower ( 1969 ) : Eisenhower lay in repose at the cathedral before lying in state State funeral of the 40th President, Ronald Reagan ( 2004 ) State funeral of the 38th President, Gerald Ford ( 2007 ) Memorial services were also held for the following former presidents : ( 29th ) Warren G. Harding ( 27th ) William Howard Taft ( 30th ) Calvin Coolidge ( 33rd ) Harry S. Truman ( 37th ) Richard Nixon ( 38th ) Gerald Ford. Presidential prayer services were held the day after the inaugurations for the following U.S. Commander - in - Chiefs : 32nd President Franklin D. Roosevelt in January 1937 40th President Ronald Reagan in 1985 41st President George H.W. Bush in 1989 43rd President George W. Bush in 2001 and 2005 44th President Barack Obama in 2009 and 2013 45th President Donald Trump in 2017 Other events include : Funeral for former first lady Edith Bolling Galt Wilson ( 1961 ) Memorial service for former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt ( 1962 ) Memorial service for the casualties of the Vietnam War on November 14, 1982 Public funeral for Chief of Naval Operations, United States Navy, Admiral Jeremy Michael Boorda ( 1996 ) Funeral for U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ronald Brown ( 1996 ) Funeral for U.S. Ambassador to France Pamela Harriman ( 1997 ) Funeral for Washington Post newspaper publisher Katharine Graham ( 2001 ) Memorial service for the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks Special evensong for the victims of the Virginia Tech massacre Funeral for educator and national civil rights leader Dorothy Height ( 2010 ) Memorial service for NASA astronaut and first person on the Moon Neil Armstrong ( 2012 ) Funeral for U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient ( 2012 ) Memorial service for former South African President and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela ( 2014 ) High school graduation ceremonies for the St. Albans School ( Washington, D.C. ) and the National Cathedral School It was from Washington National Cathedral 's `` Canterbury Pulpit '' that the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered the final Sunday sermon of his life on March 31, 1968, just a few days before his assassination in April 1968. A memorial service for King was held at the cathedral later the same week. 2011 earthquake The cathedral was damaged in August 2011 during the Virginia earthquake. Finial stones on several pinnacles broke off, and several pinnacles twisted out of alignment or collapsed entirely. Some gargoyles and other carvings were damaged, and a hole was punched through the metal - clad roof by falling masonry. Cracks also appeared in the flying buttresses surrounding the apse. Inside, initial inspections revealed less damage, with some mortar joints loose or falling out. The cathedral, which had no earthquake insurance, was essentially leaderless and struggled to cope with the cost of the damage. Washington National Cathedral closed from August 24 to November 7, 2011, as $2 million was spent to stabilize the structure and remove damaged or loose stone. Safety netting was erected throughout the nave to protect visitors from any debris that might fall from above. The cathedral reopened for the consecration and installation of Mariann Budde as the ninth Bishop of Washington on November 12, 2011. At that time, estimates of the cost of the damage were about $25 million. Identifying the full extent of the damage and construction planning and studies over the next two years consumed another $2.5 million. In 2011, the cathedral received a $700,000.00 preservation work matching grant from the Save America 's Treasures program, a public - private partnership operated by the nonprofit National Trust for Historic Preservation. The program, which is federally funded, required the cathedral to match the grant dollar - for - dollar with private funds and use the money solely for preservation work. Whether the provision of such aid violates the First Amendment, on the ground that frees up, for religious work, funds that otherwise would have been spent for the restoration, historically has been a controversial topic. The Reverend Canon Gary R. Hall was chosen to be the 10th dean of Washington National Cathedral in August 2012. Although fundraising to repair the damage began soon after the earthquake, it took the cathedral three years to raise the $15 million to complete the first phase of repairs. In August 2013, the cost of the repairs was re-estimated at $26 million. About $10 million had already been raised by this date to pay for the repairs, half of that coming from the Lilly Endowment. The cathedral began charging a $10.00 admission fee for tourists in January 2014, and started renting out its worship and other spaces to outside groups to raise cash. The cathedral also transformed the Herb Cottage ( its old baptistry building adjacent to the cathedral ) into a for - profit coffeehouse operated by the Open City café chain. Phase I of the restoration, which cost $10 million, repaired the internal ceiling 's stone and mortar and was completed in February 2015. The planned 10 - year, $22 million Phase II will repair or replace the damaged stones atop the cathedral. In June 2015, Washington National Cathedral leaders said the church needed $200 million, which would both complete repairs and establish a foundation to give the cathedral financial stability. The cathedral began working on a capital fundraising campaign, which The New York Times said was one of the largest ever by an American religious institution, to begin in 2018 or 2019. Rev. Hall said that the cathedral also planned to reopen its continuing education college and its Center for Prayer and Pilgrimage ( a space on the cathedral 's crypt level dedicated to prayer, meditation, and devotional practice ). After three years of deficit spending, however, the cathedral also announced additional cuts to music programs to balance its budget. Lee - Jackson stained glass windows See also : Modern display of the Confederate flag and Removal of Confederate monuments and memorials In June 2016, after an examination by a five - person task force it was announced that two Confederate battle flag images would be removed from stained glass windows commemorating the lives of Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. The windows were installed in 1953 after lobbying by the United Daughters of the Confederacy. In its report, the task force wrote that it `` is unanimous in its decision that the windows provide a catalyst for honest discussions about race and the legacy of slavery and for addressing the uncomfortable and too often avoided issues of race in America. Moreover, the windows serve as a profound witness to the Cathedral 's own complex history in relationship to race. '' On September 6, 2017, the Cathedral, in a statement signed by the Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, the Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith, Dean of the Cathedral, and John Donoghue, Chair of the Cathedral Chapter, announced its decision to deconsecrate and remove the stained glass windows honoring Lee and Jackson. Financial concerns In January 2003, the Reverend Nathan D. Baxter, dean of the cathedral, announced his retirement effective from June 30, 2003. Baxter had led the cathedral since 1991. After an 18 - month search, Samuel T. Lloyd III was named dean and began his tenure on April 23, 2005. Lloyd was charged with helping to enlarge the church 's congregation and make the cathedral a center for Christian thought and spiritual life. Using a $15 million bequest the cathedral received in 2000, Lloyd rapidly expanded the cathedral 's programming. Meanwhile, the cathedral deferred maintenance and declined to make needed repairs. Construction also began in 2004 on a $34 million, four - level, 430 - car underground parking garage. The structure was pushed by John Bryson Chane, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, and was funded primarily by debt. It opened in 2007. Debt payments on the garage were $500,000.00 a year, with a major increase in the annual debt service beginning in 2017. In early 2008, the National Cathedral Association, the church 's fundraising donor network, was disbanded after cathedral leaders concluded that the building was `` finished '' and it was no longer necessary to raise significant funds for construction. The 2008 -- 2009 Great Recession hit the cathedral hard. By June 2010, the cathedral cut its budget from $27 million to $13 million ( more than half ), outsourced the operation of its gift shop, shut its greenhouse, and ceased operation of a college that had provided Episcopal clergy nationwide with continuing theological education. The cathedral also laid off 100 of its 170 staff members ( about 60 percent of the total ), including its art conservator and its liturgist ( who researched and advocated the use of liturgies at the cathedral ). It also significantly cut back on programming, music performances, and classes. To help stabilize its finances, the cathedral began an $11 million fundraising campaign and used $2.5 million of its $50 million endowment to plug budget holes. The National Cathedral Association was recreated as well. In June 2010, the cathedral announced that it was exploring the sale of its rare book collection, the value of which was estimated to be several million dollars. It sold a number of books to a private collector in 2011 for $857,000.00 and in 2013 donated most of the remaining collection to Virginia Theological Seminary. As the economic downturn continued, a report by cathedral staff identified $30 million in needed maintenance and repairs at Washington National Cathedral. Among the problems were cracked and missing mortar in the oldest sections of the building ; broken HVAC, mechanical, and plumbing systems throughout the structure ; extensive preservation needs ; and a main organ in disrepair. Repointing the building was estimated to cost at least $5 million, while organ repair was set at $15 million. In July 2011, Lloyd announced his resignation, effective in September. Architecture This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( September 2011 ) Looking east, looking up to the choir of the cathedral Nave vaulting facing east Side view Its final design shows a mix of influences from the various Gothic architectural styles of the Middle Ages, identifiable in its pointed arches, flying buttresses, a variety of ceiling vaulting, stained - glass windows and carved decorations in stone, and by its three similar towers, two on the west front and one surmounting the crossing. Washington National Cathedral consists of a long, narrow rectangular mass formed by a nine - bay nave with wide side aisles and a five - bay chancel, intersected by a six bay transept. Above the crossing, rising 91 m ( 301 ft ) above the ground, is the Gloria in Excelsis Tower ; its top, at 206 m ( 676 ft ) above sea level, is the highest point in Washington. The Pilgrim Observation Gallery -- which occupies a space about 3 / 4ths of the way up in the west - end towers -- provides sweeping views of the city. In total, the cathedral is 115 m ( 375 ft ) above sea level. Unique in North America, the central tower has two full sets of bells -- a 53 - bell carillon and a 10 - bell peal for change ringing ; the change bells are rung by members of the Washington Ringing Society. The cathedral sits on a landscaped 57 - acre ( 23 - hectare ) plot on Mount Saint Alban. The one - story porch projecting from the south transept has a large portal with a carved tympanum. This portal is approached by the Pilgrim Steps, a long flight of steps 12 m ( 40 ft ) wide. Most of the building is constructed using a buff - colored Indiana limestone over a traditional masonry core. Structural, load - bearing steel is limited to the roof 's trusses ( traditionally built of timber ) ; concrete is used significantly in the support structures for bells of the central tower, and the floors in the west towers. The pulpit was carved out of stones from Canterbury Cathedral ; Glastonbury Abbey provided stone for the bishop 's formal seat, the cathedra. The high altar, the Jerusalem Altar, is made from stones quarried at Solomon 's Quarry near Jerusalem, reputedly where the stones for Solomon 's Temple were quarried. In the floor directly in front of that altar are set ten stones from the Chapel of Moses on Mount Sinai, representing the Ten Commandments as a foundation for the Jerusalem Altar. There are many other works of art including over two hundred stained glass windows, the most familiar of which may be the Space Window, honoring mankind 's landing on the Moon, which includes a fragment of lunar rock at its center ; the rock was presented at the dedication service on July 21, 1974, the fifth anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission. Extensive wrought iron adorns the building, much of it the work of Samuel Yellin. A substantial gate of forged iron by Albert Paley was installed on the north side of the crypt level in 2008. Intricate woodcarving, wall - sized murals and mosaics, and monumental cast bronze gates can also be found. Most of the interior decorative elements have Christian symbolism, in reference to the church 's Episcopal roots, but the cathedral is filled with memorials to persons or events of national significance : statues of Washington and Lincoln, state seals embedded in the marble floor of the narthex, state flags that hang along the nave, stained glass commemorating events like the Lewis and Clark expedition and the raising of the American flag at Iwo Jima. The cathedral was built with several intentional `` flaws '' in keeping with an apocryphal medieval custom that sought to illustrate that only God can be perfect. Artistically speaking, these flaws ( which often come in the form of intentional asymmetries ) draw the observer 's focus to the sacred geometry as well as compensate for visual distortions, a practice that has been used since the Pyramids and the Parthenon. Architecturally, it is thought that if the main aisle of the cathedral where it meets the cross section were not tilted slightly off its axis, a person who looked straight down the aisle could experience a slight visual distortion, making the building seem shorter than it is, much like looking down railroad tracks. The architects designed the crypt chapels in Norman, Romanesque, and Transitional styles predating the Gothic, as though the cathedral had been built as a successor to earlier churches, a common occurrence in European cathedrals. Numerous grotesques and gargoyles adorn the exterior, most of them designed by the carvers ; one of the more famous of these is a caricature of then - master carver Roger Morigi on the north exterior of the nave. There were also two competitions held for the public to provide designs to supplement those of the carvers. The second of these produced the famous Darth Vader Grotesque which is high on the northwest tower, sculpted by Jay Hall Carpenter and carved by Patrick J. Plunkett. The west facade follows an iconographic program of the creation of the world rather than that of the Last Judgement as was traditional in medieval churches. All of the sculptural work was designed by Frederick Hart and features tympanum carvings of the creation of the sun and moon over the outer doors and the creation of man over the center. Hart also sculpted the three statues of Adam and Saints Peter and Paul. The west doors are cast bronze rather than wrought iron. The west rose window, often used as a trademark of the cathedral, was designed by Rowan leCompte and is an abstract depiction of the creation of light. LeCompte, who also designed the clerestory windows and the mosaics in the Resurrection Chapel, chose a nonrepresentational design because he feared that a figural window could fail to be seen adequately from the great distance to the nave. The cathedral contains a basement, which was intentionally flooded during the Cuban missile crisis to provide emergency drinking water in the event of a nuclear war. Architects Detail of cast bronze gate The cathedral 's master plan was designed by George Frederick Bodley, a highly regarded British Gothic Revival architect of the late - 19th and early - 20th centuries, and was influenced by Canterbury. Landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. contributed a landscaping plan for the cathedral close and Nellie B. Allen designed a knot garden for the Bishop 's Garden. After Bodley died in 1907, his partner Henry Vaughan revised the original design, but work stopped during World War I and Vaughan died in 1917. When work resumed, the chapter hired New York architecture firm Frohman, Robb and Little to execute the building. Philip Hubert Frohman, who had designed his first fully functional home at the age of 14 and received his architectural degree at the age of 16, and his partners worked to perfect Bodley 's vision, adding the carillon section of the central tower, enlarging the west façade, and making numerous smaller changes. Ralph Adams Cram was hired to supervise Frohman, because of his experience with the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, but Cram insisted on so many major changes to the original design that Frohman convinced the Cathedral Chapter to fire him. By Frohman 's death in 1972, the final plans had been completed and the building was finished accordingly. Images of architectural details Donation Thanks Engraving Vaulting in northwest cloister Pilgrim Observation Gallery Flying buttresses Side view of The Washington National Cathedral, with earthquake construction There is a placard for every state from the United States Statue of George Washington ( by Lee Lawrie ) Stained - glass window GITMO stone inscribed in 1964 as a gift to the Cathedral from those at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base Mount Sinai stone Women 's porch South transept tympanum Detail of figures flanking south doors Detail of the Moses window, by Lawrence Saint Encaustic mural of the burial of Jesus in the Chapel of St. Joseph of Arimathea Stained glass window depicting major events of the life of Confederate General Robert E. Lee Stained glass window depicting the life of Stonewall Jackson Stained glass depicting Charles Warren Stained glass dedicated to Andrew Carnegie Darth Vader Grotesque The rood in the chancel arch separating the nave from the choir Leadership and funding East End of the cathedral, with the Ter Sanctus reredos, featuring 110 carved figures surrounding the central figure of Jesus The cathedral is both the episcopal seat of the Bishop of Washington ( currently the Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde ) and the primatial seat of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church ( currently the Most Reverend Michael Curry ). Budde was elected by the Diocese of Washington in June 2011, to replace Bishop John Bryson Chane ; upon her confirmation in November 2011 she became the ninth bishop of the diocese and the first woman to fill the role. In May 2016, Randolph Marshall Hollerith was named as the next Dean of the Cathedral. Hollerith comes to the National Cathedral from St. James Episcopal Church ( Richmond, Virginia ), where he was rector from 2000 -- 2016. Former deans : Alfred Harding ( de facto ; 1909 -- 1916 ) George C.F. Bratenahl ( 1916 -- 1936 ) Noble C. Powell ( 1937 -- 1941 ) ZeBarney T. Phillips ( 1941 -- 1942 ) John W. Suter ( 1944 -- 1950 ) Francis B. Sayre, Jr. ( 1951 -- 1978 ) John T. Walker ( 1978 -- 1989 ; simultaneously bishop ) Nathan D. Baxter ( 1992 -- 2003 ) Samuel T. Lloyd III ( 2005 -- 2011 ) Gary R. Hall ( 2012 -- 2015 ) The National Cathedral Association ( NCA ) seeks to raise and provide funds for and promote the Washington National Cathedral. Across the United States, it has more than 14,000 members, more than 88 percent of whom live outside the Washington area, and who are divided into committees by state. Visitors to the cathedral provide another significant source of funds, through donations and group touring fees. Every year, each state has a state day at the cathedral, on which that state is recognized by name in the prayers. Over a span of about four years, each state is further recognized at a Major State Day, at which time those who live in the state are encouraged to make a pilgrimage to the cathedral and dignitaries from the state are invited to speak. American state flags were displayed in the nave until 2007 ; currently the display of the state flags alternates throughout the year with the display of liturgical banners hung on the pillars, reflecting the seasons of the Church year. The budget, $27 million in 2008, was trimmed to $13 million in 2010. Staff was reduced from 170 to 70. There was an endowment of $50 million. Worship The flags of all the states of the US with the current liturgical banners hung on the pillars. The worship department is, like the cathedral itself, rooted in the doctrine and practice of the Episcopal Church, and based in the Book of Common Prayer. Three services are held each weekday, including the daily Eucharist. Sunday through Thursday, the Cathedral Choirs sing Evensong. The forty - minute service is attended by roughly fifty to seventy - five people ( more on Sunday ). Three services of the Eucharist are held on Sunday, along with Choral Evensong. The cathedral also has been a temporary home to several congregations, including a Jewish synagogue and an Eastern Orthodox community. It has also been the site for several ecumenical and / or interfaith services. In October 2005, at the cathedral, the Rev. Nancy Wilson was consecrated and installed as Moderator ( Denominational Executive ) of the Metropolitan Community Church, by its founding Moderator, the Rev. Dr. Troy Perry. Each Christmas, the cathedral holds special services, which are broadcast to the world. The service of lessons and carols is distributed by Public Radio International. Christmas at Washington National Cathedral is a live television broadcast of the 9 a.m. Eucharist on Christmas Day. It is produced by Allbritton Communications and is shown on national affiliates in most cities around the United States. Some affiliates broadcast the service at noon. The Christmas service at the Cathedral was broadcast to the nation on television from 1953 until 2010 and is still webcast live from the Cathedral 's homepage. Music The Washington National Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys, founded in 1909, is one of very few cathedral choirs of men and boys in the United States with an affiliated school, in the English choir tradition. The 18 -- 22 boys singing treble are of ages 8 -- 14 and attend St. Albans School, the Cathedral school for boys, on vocal scholarships. In 1997, the Cathedral Choir of Men and Girls was formed by Bruce Neswick, using the same men as the choir of the men and boys. The Choir consists of middle and high school girls attending the National Cathedral School on vocal scholarships. The two choirs currently share service duties and occasionally collaborate. The console of the Great Organ at Washington National Cathedral in 2010. It includes four manuals : the Choir, Great, Swell, and Solo. It is located in the Great Choir. Both choirs have recently recorded several CDs, including a Christmas album ; a U.S. premiere recording of Ståle Kleiberg 's Requiem for the Victims of Nazi Persecution ; and a patriotic album, America the Beautiful. The choirs rehearse separately every weekday morning in a graded class incorporated into their school schedule. The choristers sing Evensong five days a week ( the Boys Choir on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the Girls Choir on Mondays and Wednesdays ). The choirs alternate Sunday worship duties, singing both morning Eucharist and afternoon Evensong when they are on call. The choirs also sing for numerous state and national events. The choirs are also featured annually on Christmas at Washington National Cathedral, broadcast nationally on Christmas Day. The Great Organ was installed by the Ernest M. Skinner & Son Organ Company in 1938. The original instrument consisted of approximately 8,400 pipes. The instrument was enlarged by the Aeolian - Skinner Organ Company in 1963 and again between 1970 and 1975, during which time more than half of the original instrument was removed. The present instrument consists of 189 ranks and 10,647 pipes. It is the largest organ in the city of Washington and one of the 20 largest organs in the world. Specifications : Great Diapason 16 ' Violon 16 ' Bourdon 16 ' Prinzipal 8 ' Spitz Prinzipal 8 ' Waldföte 8 ' Holz Bordun 8 ' Salicional 8 ' Violon 8 ' Erzähler 8 ' Oktav 4 ' Spitzoktav 4 ' Koppel Flöte 4 ' Quinte 2 / ' Super Oktav 2 ' Blockflöte 2 ' Sesquialtera II Klein Mixtur IV Mixtur IV - V Scharf VI Terzzymbel VI - X Bombarde 16 ' Posthorn 8 ' Trompette 8 ' Clairon 4 ' Trompette en chamade 4 ' Tuba Mirabilis 8 ' Choir Gemshorn 16 ' Chimney Flute 8 ' Viola Pomposa 8 ' Viola Pomposa cel. 8 ' Chœur des Violes V 8 ' Viole Céleste II 8 ' Kleiner Erzähler II 8 ' Principal 4 ' Harmonic Flute 4 ' Fugara 4 ' Rohrnasat 2 / ' Hellflöte 2 ' Terz 1 / ' Mixture III - IV Glockenspiel II Orchestral Bassoon 16 ' Trumpet 8 ' Cromorne 8 ' Regal 8 ' Tuba Mirabilis 8 ' Trompette en chamade 8 ' Posthorn 8 ' Harp Celesta 8 ' Zimbelstern Tremolo Swell 1st Division Violoncelle 16 ' Montre 8 ' Violoncelle cel. II 8 ' Prestant 4 ' Plein Jeu V Cymbale IV Bombarde 16 ' Trompette 8 ' Clairon 4 ' 2nd Division Flûte Courte 16 ' Bourdon 8 ' Flûte à Fuseau 8 ' Viole de Gambe 8 ' Viole Céleste 8 ' Voix Céleste II 8 ' Flute Celeste II 8 ' Octave 4 ' Flûte Travesière 4 ' Nasard 2 / ' Octavin 2 ' Tierce 1 / ' Petit Jeu IV Posaune 16 ' 2ème Trompette 8 ' Hautbois 8 ' Cor d'Amour 8 ' 2ème Clairon 4 ' Tremolo 3rd Division Flûte d'Argent 8 ' Chœur des Violes II 8 ' -- 4 ' Éoliènne Céleste V 8 ' Voix Humaine 8 ' Tremolo Solo Diapason 8 ' Flauto Mirabilis II 8 ' Gamba 8 ' Gamba Celeste 8 ' Orchestral Flute 4 ' Full Mixture VII Corno di Bassetto 16 ' Trompette harm. 8 ' French Horn 8 ' Corno di Bassetto 8 ' English Horn 8 ' Flügel Horn 8 ' Clairon harm. 4 ' Trompette en chamade 8 ' Tuba Mirabilis 8 ' Posthorn 16 ' Posthorn 8 ' Tremolo Pedal Subbass 32 ' Kontra Violon 32 ' Contre Basse 16 ' Principal 16 ' Diapason 16 ' Bourdon 16 ' Violon 16 ' Violoncelle 16 ' Gemshorn 16 ' Flûte Courte 16 ' Quinte 10 / ' Octave 8 ' Diapason 8 ' Spitzflöte 8 ' Gedackt 8 ' Violoncelle Céleste 8 ' Flûte Courte 8 ' Quinte 5 / ' Choralbass 4 ' Cor de Nuit 4 ' Fife 2 ' Rauschquint II Fourniture IV Acuta III Gross Kornett IV Bombarde Basse 64 ' Contra Bombarde 32 ' Contra Fagotto 32 ' Ophicléide 16 ' Bombarde 16 ' Fagotto 16 ' Trompette 8 ' Bombarde 8 ' Posthorn 8 ' Tuba Mirabilis 8 ' Trompette en chamade 8 ' Clairon 4 ' Zink 2 ' Positiv ( Gallery ) Nason Gedackt 8 ' Rohrflöte 4 ' Nachthorn 2 ' Terz 1 / ' Larigot 1 / ' Sifflöte 1 ' Zymbel IV Rankett 4 ' Tremulant Brustwerk ( Gallery ) Spitz Prinzipal 8 ' Praestant 4 ' Koppel Nasat 2 / ' Lieblich Prinzipal 2 ' Mixtur IV -- VI Rankett 8 ' Pedal ( Gallery ) Gedacktbass 16 ' Oktav 8 ' Nason Gedackt 8 ' Superoktav 4 ' Rohrflöte 4 ' Rankett 16 Rankett 4 ' Michael McCarthy is the Director of Music, Benjamin Straley is the Cathedral Organist and Associate Director of Music, and Jeremy Filsell is the Artist - in - Residence. The carillonneur is Edward M. Nassor. Former organists and choirmasters include Edgar Priest, Robert George Barrow, Paul Callaway, Richard Wayne Dirksen, Douglas Major, Bruce Neswick, James Litton, Erik Wm. Suter, and Scott Dettra. The resident symphonic chorus of Washington National Cathedral is the Cathedral Choral Society. The cathedral is unique in North America in having both a carillon and a set of change ringing bells. The ring of 10 bells ( tenor 32 long cwt 0 qr 4 lb ; 3,588 lb or 1,627 kg in D ) are hung in the English style for full circle ringing. All ten were cast in 1962 by Mears & Stainbank ( now known as The Whitechapel Bell Foundry ) of London, England. The carillon has 53 bells ranging from 17 pounds ( 7.7 kg ) to 24,000 pounds ( 11,000 kg ) and was manufactured by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough, England in 1963. The bells are hung dead, that is rigidly fixed, and are struck on the inside by hammers activated from the keyboard. Burials Several notable American citizens are buried in Washington National Cathedral and its columbarium : Woodrow Wilson 's Tomb Larz Anderson, businessman, diplomat Thomas John Claggett, first Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland William Forman Creighton, fifth Bishop of Washington Joseph Edward Davies ( ashes ), diplomat, presidential adviser. He gave a stained - glass window in the Cathedral in honor of his mother, Rachel Davies ( Rahel o Fôn ) George Dewey, United States Navy admiral Angus Dun ( ashes ), fourth Bishop of Washington Philip Frohman ( ashes ), cathedral architect, following the death of Bodley George A. Garrett, diplomat, first United States Ambassador to Ireland Julia Dent Cantacuzène Spiransky - Grant, granddaughter of President Ulysses S. Grant Alfred Harding, second Bishop of Washington Cordell Hull, United States Secretary of State Helen Keller ( ashes ), author, lecturer, advocate for the blind and deaf A.S. Mike Monroney ( ashes ), U.S. representative, senator Norman Prince, fighter pilot, member of the Lafayette Escadrille flying corps Henry Yates Satterlee, first Bishop of Washington Francis Bowes Sayre, Jr. ( ashes ), dean of the cathedral and grandson of President Woodrow Wilson, also interred there John Wesley Snyder ( US Cabinet Secretary ), Secretary of the Treasury in the Truman administration Leo Sowerby ( ashes ), composer, church musician Anne Sullivan ( ashes ), tutor and companion to Helen Keller, first woman interred here Stuart Symington, U.S. senator, presidential candidate Henry Vaughan, architect, associate of Bodley John Thomas Walker, sixth Bishop of Washington Isabel Weld Perkins, author, wife of Larz Anderson Edith Wilson, second wife of Woodrow Wilson and First Lady of the United States Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States. Wilson 's tomb includes variants on the Seal of the President of the United States and the coat of arms of Princeton University. Wilson is the only American president buried in the District of Columbia. References in popular culture The cathedral is the setting of Margaret Truman 's novel Murder at the National Cathedral. It is the location of Mrs. Landingham 's funeral and President Bartlet 's resulting tirade against God in the second - season finale of The West Wing, `` Two Cathedrals. '' Tom Clancy 's novel Executive Orders includes a memorial service for the late president Rodger Durling, his wife, most of the United States Congress, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Supreme Court that takes place at this location. In an infamous scene, a soldier bearing the president 's casket slips on some ice on the front steps and suffers crushed legs. It served as an architectural inspiration for Keep Venture in Brandon Sanderson 's Mistborn series It is the setting for the burial of fictional Supreme Court Justice Abraham Rosenberg in the movie The Pelican Brief, based on John Grisham 's book of the same name. In Dan Brown 's The Lost Symbol Robert Landon and Katherine Solomon seek sanctuary through the Dean of the Church, Dr Colin Galloway. See also List of the Episcopal cathedrals of the United States List of cathedrals in the United States All Hallows Guild Carousel Washington National Cathedral Police References Jump up ^ Episcopal Church ( 1990 ). Consecration of the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Diocese of Washington : A Litany of Thanksgiving : Celebration of the Holy Eucharist... : Sunday, September Thirtieth, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety, at Eleven O'clock. Retrieved April 6, 2013. Jump up ^ The Episcopal Church Center ( 2011 ). `` Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Diocese of Washington ''. Retrieved April 6, 2013. Jump up ^ Washington National Cathedral : All Figures Nationalcathedral.org Jump up ^ `` Episcopal Domestic Fast Facts : 2010 '' ( PDF ). Episcopal Church Office of Research. Retrieved June 29, 2012. Jump up ^ Quinn, Fredrick ( 1 October 2014 ). A House of Prayer for All People : A History of Washington National Cathedral. Church Publishing, Inc. p. 3. ISBN 9780819229243. The quest for a National Cathedral, the best - known endeavor of Satterlee 's episcopate, had deep roots in American national life. Major Pierre L'Enfant envisioned `` a great church for national purposes '' in his original plans for the city of Washington, but nothing came of the idea. After several meetings of leading Washington figures, including planning sessions in the home of Charles C. Glover, president of the Riggs Bank, the Protestant Episcopal Church Foundation was created on January 6, 1893, by Act of Congress, signed by President Benjamin Harrison. Jump up ^ `` Member Institutions ''. Washington Theological Consortium. Retrieved October 2, 2009. Jump up ^ Jayne Clark, `` National Cathedral celebrates its centennial '', USA Today, June 21 2007. Jump up ^ United States Secretary of State ( 1893 ). `` An Act to incorporate the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation of the District of Columbia '' ( PDF ). The Statutes At Large of the United States of America, From December, 1891, To March, 1893, And Recent Treaties, Conventions, and Executive Proclamations ( PDF ) format = requires url = ( help ). United States Congress. p. 414. Retrieved 16 November 2014. Jump up ^ Ripley, Amanda. `` Washington National Cathedral ''. Time. Retrieved 15 November 2014. It is actually an Episcopal church, but Congress has designated it the National House of Prayer. Since 1907, it has been used for state funerals for three Presidents of the United States, monthly emergency unity services during World War II, presidential prayer services and 9 / 11 memorial ceremonies. ^ Jump up to : `` Presidential Funerals ''. Washington National Cathedral. Jump up ^ State Funeral for President Ronald W. Reagan June 11, 2004 Nationalcathedral.org Jump up ^ Presidential Inaugural Prayer Services at Washington National Cathedral Nationalcathedral.org Jump up ^ Martin Luther King, Jr. ( March 31, 1968 ). `` Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution ''. Retrieved June 14, 2011. ^ Jump up to : `` D.C. earthquake damages National Cathedral, Washington Monument ''. WJLA - TV. August 25, 2011. Retrieved August 18, 2011. ^ Jump up to : Fandos, Nicholas ( July 4, 2015 ). `` National Cathedral 's Repair Work : Finials, Finance and Faith ''. The New York Times. Retrieved July 5, 2015. Jump up ^ Hill, Daniel ( September 1, 2011 ). `` National Cathedral Adds Safety Netting ''. The Washington Times. Retrieved July 5, 2015. ^ Jump up to : Ruane, Michael E. ( October 5, 2011 ). `` Cathedral Seeks to Raise $25 Million ''. The Washington Post. p. B1. Jump up ^ Trescott, Jacqueline ( February 2, 2011 ). `` National Cathedral, Renwick Gallery Win Federal Funds ''. The Washington Post. Retrieved July 5, 2015. Jump up ^ See http://law.justia.com/constitution/us/amendment-01/02-establishment-of-religion.html Jump up ^ `` Taking Stock of the Episcopal Church ''. The Washington Post. August 4, 2012. p. B2. Jump up ^ `` National Cathedral Earthquake Repairs to Top $26 million ''. WJLA - TV. August 22, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2015. Jump up ^ Boorstein, Michelle ( January 15, 2014 ). `` National Cathedral Opens Worship Space to Free Classes and More to Boost Profile, Coffers ''. The Washington Post. Jump up ^ Marmer, Gerri ( December 5, 2014 ). `` Religion Events From Around the Washington Area ''. The Washington Post. Jump up ^ `` Making Washington 's National Cathedral Whole Again '' ( video ). Fox News. April 5, 2015. Retrieved April 6, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Cathedral to Explore Racial Justice Through Public Forums, Arts, Worship - Washington National Cathedral ''. Washington National Cathedral. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 25. Jump up ^ Mariann Edgar Budde, Randolph Marshall Hollerith, John Donoghue ( September 6, 2017 ). `` Announcement on the Future of the Lee - Jackson Windows ''. Washington National Cathedral. Retrieved September 6, 2017. CS1 maint : Uses authors parameter ( link ) Jump up ^ Broadway, Bill ( January 23, 2003 ). `` Baxter Plans to Step Down As Dean of National Cathedral ''. The Washington Post. p. B02. Jump up ^ Cauvin, Henri E. ( April 24, 2005 ). `` Cathedral 's New Dean Envisions Middle Road ''. The Washington Post. p. C1. Jump up ^ Murphy, Caryle ( March 18, 2000 ). `` Rockville Woman Leaves $15 Million to Cathedral ''. The Washington Post. p. B3. Jump up ^ Lipton, Ronnie ( June 22, 2003 ). `` Cast Aside at the Cathedral ''. The Washington Post. p. B8 ; Becker, Arielle Levin ( July 8, 2004 ). `` Cathedral Proposes Underground Garage ''. The Washington Post. p. DE3 ; Feeney, Mary K. ( May 7, 2007 ). `` Exploring the Cathedral 's Heights and Depths ''. The Washington Post. p. WW58. ^ Jump up to : Zongker, Brett ( March 14, 2012 ). `` National Cathedral 's Preservation, Financial Needs Top $50 Million ''. Associated Press. Retrieved July 5, 2015. Jump up ^ `` History of NCA ''. Washington National Cathedral. 2015. Retrieved July 5, 2015. ^ Jump up to : Gowen, Annie ( June 5, 2010 ). `` Rare Books Could Be the Next to Go ''. The Washington Post. p. B1. ^ Jump up to : Sullivan, Patricia ( July 9, 2011 ). `` National Cathedral Dean Plans to Leave ''. The Washington Post. p. B1. Jump up ^ Virginia Theological Seminary ( January 25, 2013 ). `` Bishop Payne Library Receives Large Collection of Rare Books from the Washington National Cathedral '' ( Press release ). Retrieved July 5, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Washington DC -- National Cathedral ''. National Park Service. Retrieved May 9, 2011. Jump up ^ The Washington ringing society Cathedral.org Jump up ^ Cathedral Figures nationalcathedral.org Jump up ^ The Space Window at the U.S. National Cathedral, space.com, September 12, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2012 Jump up ^ `` The Star Wars Villain on the Northwest Tower ''. Washington National Cathedral. Jump up ^ Graff, Garrett M. ( 2017 ). Raven Rock : The Story of the U.S. Government 's Secret Plan to Save Itself - While the Rest of Us Die. Simon & Schuster. Jump up ^ `` Video and Virtual Tours ''. Washington National Cathedral. Retrieved September 23, 2007. Jump up ^ Hollerith, Randy. `` Hollerith named next Dean of National Cathedral ''. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016. Jump up ^ ROCKETT, ALI ( 23 May 2016 ). `` St. James 's Episcopal Church rector named dean of Washington National Cathedral ''. Richmond Times - Dispatch. Retrieved 2016 - 05 - 23. Jump up ^ Gowen, Annie ( June 6, 2010 ). `` Rare books could be the next to go ''. The Washington Post. Washington, DC. pp. C1. Jump up ^ https://cathedral.org/worship/weekly-services/ Jump up ^ `` The Top 20 -- The World 's Largest Pipe Organs ''. Sacred Classics. April 30, 2008. Retrieved May 3, 2008. Jump up ^ View the Great Organ 's Specifications Jump up ^ `` Cathedral Musicians ''. Washington National Cathedral. Retrieved May 3, 2008. Jump up ^ Dove. `` Washington, Cath Ch of S Peter & S Paul ''. Dove 's Guide for Church Bell Ringers. Retrieved November 29, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Bell Facts & History ''. Washington National Cathedral. Retrieved November 29, 2012. Jump up ^ Mistborn 3 Chapter Twenty - Seven Brandon Sanderson Bibliography Marjorie Hunt, The Stone Carvers : Master Craftsmen of Washington National Cathedral ( Smithsonian, 1999 ). David Hein, Noble Powell and the Episcopal Establishment in the Twentieth Century. Foreword by Peter W. Williams. Urbana : Univ. of Illinois Press, 2001 ; Eugene, Ore. : Wipf & Stock, 2007. Includes a chapter on Powell when he was dean of WNC and warden of the College of Preachers. Step by Step and Stone by Stone : The History of the Washington National Cathedral ( WNC, 1990 ). A Guide to the Washington Cathedral ( National Cathedral Association, 1945 ). Peter W. Williams, Houses of God : Region, Religion, and Architecture in the United States ( Urbana : University of Illinois Press, 1997 ). Cathedral Age ( magazine ). External links Media related to Washington National Cathedral at Wikimedia Commons Geographic data related to Washington National Cathedral at OpenStreetMap Washington National Cathedral website Episcopal Diocese of Washington Jay Hall Carpenter, gargoyle sculptor, 20 years at the cathedral What does Darth Vader have to do with the Cathedral ? Outdoor sculptures at the Washington National Cathedral Washington National Cathedral Documentary produced by WETA - TV Three Things That Happened at the Nationals Cathedral - Blog post by Ghosts of DC Landmarks of Washington, D.C. Memorials Adams African American Civil War American Veterans Disabled for Life Belmont - Paul Women 's Equality National Monument Mary McLeod Bethune Boy Scout James Buchanan D.C. War Albert Einstein Emancipation John Ericsson First Division James A. Garfield Samuel Gompers Ulysses S. Grant Holocaust Museum Holodomor Genocide Japanese American Patriotism During World War II Jefferson Memorial Lyndon Baines Johnson Grove John Paul Jones Marquis de Lafayette Law Enforcement Officers Lincoln Memorial Martin Luther King, Jr. Korean War Veterans George Mason George Meade National Statuary Hall Collection Navy -- Merchant Marine Nuns of the Battlefield Peace Monument Pentagon Second Division Signers of the Declaration of Independence The Extra Mile The Three Soldiers Jean de Rochambeau Franklin Delano Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Island Taras Shevchenko Statues of the Liberators Oscar Straus Robert A. Taft Titanic United States Air Force United States Navy Victims of Communism Vietnam Veterans Vietnam Women 's Washington Monument Daniel Webster World War II Rainbow Pool Other Capitol Reflecting Pool Immaculate Conception Basilica Healy Hall Islamic Center Jefferson Pier John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Library of Congress National Arboretum National Building Museum National Gallery of Art Lincoln 's Cottage at Soldiers ' Home Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool National Archives Newseum National Cathedral National Mall Old Post Office Pavilion Old Stone House Smithsonian Institution The Arts of War and The Arts of Peace Tidal Basin Treasury Building Tudor Place Union Station United States Capitol United States Supreme Court Building White House Willard Hotel Parks and plazas Constitution Gardens Dupont Circle East Potomac Park Freedom Plaza Lafayette Square L'Enfant Plaza Meridian Hill Park National Arboretum Pershing Park Rock Creek Park The Ellipse United States Botanic Garden West Potomac Park Boundaries Anacostia River Arlington Memorial Bridge Boundary Markers of the Original District of Columbia Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Constitution Avenue Francis Scott Key Bridge Pennsylvania Avenue Potomac River Zero Milestone Planned Adams Memorial Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial General Francis Marion Memorial Gold Star Mothers Monument National Desert Storm and Desert Shield War Memorial National Liberty Memorial Peace Corps Monument World War I Related National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission List of National Historic Landmarks in Washington, D.C. National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C. Public art in Washington, D.C. ( Outdoor sculpture, American Revolution Statuary, Civil War Monuments, commemorating African - Americans ) Washington Theological Consortium Members Byzantine Catholic Seminary of SS. Cyril and Methodius The Catholic University of America School of Theology and Religious Studies Howard University School of Divinity John Leland Center for Theological Studies Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies Reformed Theological Seminary -- Washington, DC Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University United Lutheran Seminary Virginia Theological Seminary Wesley Theological Seminary Associate Members Paulist Fathers ' House of Mission and Studies Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation Affiliate Members Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences ICJS Woodrow Wilson 28th President of the United States ( 1913 -- 1921 ) 34th Governor of New Jersey ( 1911 -- 1913 ) 13th President of Princeton University ( 1902 -- 1910 ) Presidency 1913 inauguration Suffrage Parade 1917 inauguration The New Freedom Clayton Antitrust Act Farm Loan Act Federal Employees ' Compensation Act Federal Reserve System Federal Reserve Act Federal Income Tax amendment Federal Trade Commission Act Federal Trade Commission Revenue Act of 1913 Flag Day National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics Occupation of Haiti Bryan -- Chamorro Treaty Philippine Autonomy Act World War I entry campaigns home front Committee on Public Information Espionage Act of 1917 Selective Service Act of 1917 Four Minute Men Sedition Act of 1918 National War Labor Board The Inquiry American Commission to Negotiate Peace Paris Peace Conference, 1919 Treaty of Versailles The Big Four Fourteen Points League of Nations charter 1919 Nobel Peace Prize Silent Sentinels Women 's Suffrage amendment Roosevelt desk Judicial appointments Supreme Court Cabinet State of the Union Address 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1920 Life Birthplace and Presidential Library papers and manuscripts Boyhood home in Georgia Boyhood home in South Carolina Princeton University president Summer White House ( Harlakenden Shadow Lawn ) Woodrow Wilson House Gravesite Books Congressional Government When a Man Comes to Himself The New Freedom ( 1913 ) Elections New Jersey gubernatorial election, 1910 1912 Democratic National Convention 1912 U.S. presidential election 1916 Democratic National Convention 1916 U.S. presidential election Legacy Wilsonianism Woodrow Wilson Foundation Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs Celestial Sphere Woodrow Wilson Memorial Woodrow Wilson Bridge Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation U.S. Postage stamps U.S. Currency Popular culture Wilson ( 1944 film ) Profiles in Courage ( 1965 series ) Wilson ( 2013 book ) Woodrow Wilson and the Birth of the American Century ( 2002 documentary ) Family Joseph Ruggles Wilson ( father ) Jessie Janet Woodrow ( mother ) Ellen Axson Wilson ( wife, 1885 -- 1914 ; death ) Edith Bolling Wilson ( wife, 1915 -- 1924 ) Margaret Wilson ( daughter ) Jessie Wilson Sayre ( daughter ) Eleanor Wilson McAdoo ( daughter ) William McAdoo ( son - in - law ) Francis Sayre, Jr. ( grandson ) James Woodrow ( maternal uncle ) Related Progressive Era Jefferson Literary and Debating Society ← William Howard Taft Warren G. Harding → Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Washington_National_Cathedral&oldid=807461801 '' Categories : Churches completed in 1990 20th - century Episcopal churches George Frederick Bodley churches Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C. Cemeteries in Washington, D.C. Anglican cemeteries in the United States Episcopal cathedrals in the United States Episcopal churches in Washington, D.C. Gothic Revival churches in Washington, D.C. Presidential churches in the United States Cathedrals in Washington, D.C. Hidden categories : Pages using citations with format and no URL CS1 maint : Uses authors parameter Use mdy dates from October 2013 Wikipedia page with obscure country or subdivision Coordinates on Wikidata Articles needing additional references from September 2011 All articles needing additional references All accuracy disputes Articles with disputed statements from December 2012 All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from March 2016 Articles with unsourced statements from February 2007 Articles with unsourced statements from December 2012 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Afrikaans Беларуская Čeština Deutsch Español Esperanto فارسی Français Italiano עברית ქართული Latviešu Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk پنجابی Polski Português Română Русский Simple English Slovenčina Suomi Svenska Türkçe 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 28 October 2017, at 02 : 49. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: when was the national cathedral washington dc built
Answer: 1907–1990