Washington National Cathedral

The Washington National Cathedral is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church in the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, it is the sixth largest cathedral in the world and second largest in the United States. It was built between 1907 and 1990.

On Tuesday, August 23, 2011, the central tower on the Cathedral was damaged by an earthquake. A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck northern Virginia, about  from Washington D.C. The earthquake knocked off some of the cross-shaped finial stones. Finials are the decorative top of the pinnacles or towers. One pinnacle is leaning to the side. The inside of the cathedral did not receive any serious damage from the earthquake.

Officials have stated that it will cost millions of dollars to repair the damage. The cost of repairs will not be covered by insurance. There are many cracks in the limestone exterior. There was concern that the landfall of hurricane Irene would cause more damage. The hurricane did not cause any additional damage to the cathedral.

State funerals for four American Presidents have been held at the cathedral:
 Dwight Eisenhower (1969): Eisenhower was lying in repose at the cathedral before lying in state
 Ronald Reagan (2004)State Funeral for President Ronald W. Reagan June 11, 2004  Nationalcathedral.org
 Gerald Ford (2007)
 George H.W. Bush (2018)
Memorial services were also held for presidents Warren G. Harding, William Taft, Calvin Coolidge, Harry S Truman, and Richard M. Nixon.

 References 

Category:Anglican cathedrals
Category:Cathedrals in the United States
Category:Buildings and structures in Washington, D.C.