What can be seen besides gargoyles on the outside of Washington Cathedral?

The Darth Vader grotesque is a limestone grotesque by Jay Hall Carpenter. It is located at the Washington National Cathedral in Northwest, Washington, D.C., United States. Though sometimes seen as a graffito or form of vandalism on the church (due to the pop culture subject matter contrasted with the holy building), it is a deliberate approved addition.

The Darth Vader grotesque is one of many grotesques that are part of the National Cathedral's rain control system. The grotesques deflect rainwater by bouncing it off the tops of their heads and away from the stone walls.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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15 Comments

Denise Currie

You mean like the one shown in the picture?

Special Patrol Group

It is in the picture.

Nicholas Miernicki

Almost 1 in 4 do not believe what we always say about the "picture". I can count on one hand the number of times the "picture" has proved to be a 'red herring' and still have a couple of fingers unused.

banefire

At the cathedral, take one of their gargoyle tours, and you might also see a wild boar, a turtle, a dragon, or one of the roughly 1,200 other roof dwellers.

✨KRISTA✨

banefire, it would be interesting to see. I like "roof dwellers", I wonder 🤔 if they have to pay rent!😹💙😹

Beverly Sue Hicks

Would the correct name of the aforementioned cathedral be the National cathedral in Washington DC? Not the Washington cathedral?

Ken Putnam

Gee, did the picture give it away?

buhlemann

it is totally in the tradition. Medieval gargoyles dealt in the recognized grotesques and mythical creatures of that period; Washington Cathedral is meant to be a "real" used church, not a copy, and this fits in their tradition of living in the present.