Washington National Cathedral

The Washington National Cathedral is defined by its soaring Gothic spires and limestone facade, which crown Mount Saint Alban as the highest point in the District of Columbia. Officially named the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, this massive structure features flying buttresses and hundreds of stone carvings, including a famous grotesque modeled after Darth Vader. It began as a vision in Pierre L'Enfant’s original design for the capital, but construction did not begin until nineteen oh seven, when President Theodore Roosevelt laid the foundation stone.