Video & Virtual Tours

Video Behind-the-Scenes Tours:

Video requires Windows Media Player. Click on tour title to view the video.

• Resurrection Chapel
• Bethlehem Chapel
• Inside the West Entrance
• The Central Tower
• The Northwest Tower
• The Great Organ
• The Southwest Tower

QuickTime Virtual Tours

Virtual Tour requires QuickTime. If the image does not appear, you may need to download QuickTime.

Click and drag with the mouse to pan across or tilt up and down. Use the Control Key to zoom out and the Shift Key to zoom in, or use the – and + buttons in the navigation palette.

• The High Altar
• The Crossing
• Bethlehem Chapel
• St. Joseph’s Chapel
• The West Front

From The High Altar

You begin facing the Great Choir (west), which lies between the nave and the sanctuary. The stalls provide seating for worshipers during daily services and for the Cathedral choir (or guest choirs) during Sunday and special services. The nearest stalls are used by clergy. The end on each oak stall is intricately hand-carved with a unique image.

The stall as you scroll just to the left is reserved for the Bishop of Washington. The carving on it depicts the consecration of the first Episcopal Bishop of Maryland, Thomas John Claggett, who was also the first bishop consecrated on American soil. As you pan back to the right the colorful banner marks the stall reserved for the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in America. To the left is a stall reserved for the Chaplain of the United States Senate indicated by a blue and white seal; another stall is reserved for the Chaplain of the House of Representatives.

Continuing to pan right, past the doors leading to St. Mary’s Chapel, the stone seat flanked by the American flag and the Cathedral’s banner is the Glastonbury Cathedra. Cathedra means “bishop’s chair” and is the word from which cathedral is derived. Washington National Cathedral is the official seat of the Episcopal Bishop of Washington. The stone for this cathedra came from the ancient Glastonbury Abbey in England.

The communion rail, which separates the chancel from the sanctuary, is carved with figures representing the twelve disciples. Eleven carved stanchions bear the figures of the individual saints, and one uncarved block represents Judas Iscariot.

The High Altar (beyond the communion rail) is made from stones quarried outside Jerusalem. It is believed the stones for King Solomon’s temple came from the same quarry. Ten small stones from Mount Sinai and representing the Ten Commandments are set in the floor in front of the altar.

The carved stone wall behind the High Altar is the Ter Sanctus (thrice holy) reredos. The 110 carved figures surrounding the central figure of Christ represent the “glorious company” of saints, prophets, martyrs, angels, and faithful Christians described in the hymn of praise Te Deum Laudamus.

The dominant figure in the reredos is the Christ in Majesty, or the Majestus. His right hand is held in a gesture of blessing; his left hand holds a globe topped by a cross that signifies his sovereignty over the entire world.

As you continue to pan right you will pass the doors to Saint John’s Chapel before you return to the Great Choir.