Wonders of National Cathedral

The Washington National Cathedral, the center tower of which is the highest point in the city, is not just a place of worship for more than 200,000 people a year. It is also a top tourist attraction.

“We have more than 700,000 visitors a year [including worshippers]. A lot of families with children, a lot of school groups,” says Elizabeth Mullen, National Cathedral spokeswoman.

On a recent afternoon, about a half-dozen youth groups were touring the cathedral, which offers several types of tours, including a gargoyle tour, behind-the-scenes tour and a tour of the gardens (the cathedral sits on 57 acres).

“A lot of kids enjoy doing the behind-the-scenes tour because you get to see the gargoyles up close and you’re up really high. … It’s a little scary,” says Ms. Mullen, looking down from the clerestory, located just under the north rose window.

This is the cathedral’s largest stained-glass window. Equally famous, though, is the “Space Window” on the main nave level, she says. It incorporates a lunar rock from the Apollo 11 mission.

Children must be at least 12 years old to take the behind-the-scenes tour, which also includes magnificent views from the roof.

“You can see RFK stadium. … I guess that’s the Basilica [of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception] over there, and of course our 57-acre campus,” Ms. Mullen says.

This outdoor portion of the tour also provides close-ups of the unique, sometimes scary-looking gargoyles and grotesques.

“The stone-carvers were quite the irreverent crew. You can tell they had fun with the gargoyles. Some of them have devil’s horns and tails,” she says.

Gargoyles and grotesques are not just for decoration; they deflect water. Gargoyles have a gutterlike contraption in their mouths to funnel the water out. Grotesques, which are not equipped with piping, simply deflect the water off their heads.

“I think middle school boys especially like the gargoyles. They like anything that’s scary,” she says.

One of the most famous grotesques at the cathedral is the “Star Wars” character Darth Vader, situated way up on the tower. Visitors interested in finding the grotesque should bring binoculars, Ms. Mullen says.

A gargoyle workshop — the Gargoyle’s Den — is offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday, held — where else? — in the cathedral’s crypt. It’s open to children ages 6 through 12. Children are invited to try their hands at stone-carving and make their own gargoyle to take home. Children must be accompanied by a supervising adult. The fee is $5 per group of up to four. Additional participants pay $1 each.

Another family activity is the Family Saturday program, which runs once a month and features different topics each time. It is open to children 4 to 8, who must have an adult companion. Two sessions are offered: 10 to 11:30 a.m. and noon to 1:30 p.m. The next Family Saturday, titled “Marvelous Mosaics,” will be held next weekend. The fee is $6 per child.

Reservations, required for both the gargoyle workshop and the Family Saturday program, can be made by calling 202/537-2934.

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