Washington Cathedral is the national cathedral as well as the cathedral of the Diocese of Washington, D.C. and the home church of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. This guidebook traces the history of the building from first thoughts in 1891 to completion of the building in the 1980's, although work still is being done in the interior, This book gives a good overview of the Cathedral and its many chapels, important persons buried in the building, furnishings, and grounds.

The book has numerous photographs (some in black and white) as well as plans of the two main floors along with a map of the grounds, a timeline, and a glossary of terms. There are other books which cover aspects of the Cathedral in more detail, such as the stained glass, the rare books, the silver, the needlework, the herb garden and much more. There are services held every day to which the public is invited. The times listed in the guide are dated; check the internet for times and days before travelling to the cathedral.

I have been to Washington Cathedral several times, the most memorable being a guided tour to see the needlepoint kneelers. The guidebook serves as a reminder of those trips. ( )