I was in an Uber ride through an unfamiliar part of Washington D.C. one evening when I saw a massive dome in the distance. It definitely wasn’t the U.S. Capitol building or the National Cathedral, and I couldn’t think of any other landmark that was so immense.
A week later, I decided to explore and made my way to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. This mouthful of a monument is apparently the largest Catholic Church in the U.S. and the second-largest in North America after the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.
This was all news to me, but meanwhile all of my Catholic friends are like:
It also happens to be the tallest habitable building in D.C. and the site of Catholic University — a school that I’ve only recently heard of after running into some alumni. I guess I learn something new everyday.
Here are a few pictures…
![The exterior of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception32.jpg)
The exterior of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.
![The upper church of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception6.jpg)
The upper church of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.
![Mary, Queen of Ireland, in a fountain.](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception3.jpg)
Mary, Queen of Ireland, in a fountain.
![The dome of the Baldachin Altar at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception12.jpg)
The dome of the Baldachin Altar at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.
![The upper church of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception9.jpg)
The upper church of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.
![The Baldachin Altar of the National Shrine.](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception16.jpg)
The Baldachin Altar of the National Shrine.
![National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception2.jpg)
National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.
![The Universal Call to Holiness](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception11.jpg)
The Universal Call to Holiness
![Our Lady of Camarin](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception17.jpg)
Our Lady of Camarin
![The Blessed Sacrament Chapel.](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception19.jpg)
The Blessed Sacrament Chapel.
![The Blessed Sacrament Chapel.](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception18.jpg)
The Blessed Sacrament Chapel.
![Our Lady of Altötting](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception20.jpg)
Our Lady of Altötting
![Ceiling detail of the upper church of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception21.jpg)
Ceiling detail of the upper church of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.
![East Apse - Saint Joseph, Defender of the Church and Patron of Workers.](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception22.jpg)
East Apse – Saint Joseph, Defender of the Church and Patron of Workers.
![Our Mother of Africa statue at the National Shrine.](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception27.jpg)
Our Mother of Africa statue at the National Shrine.
![The upper church of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception23.jpg)
The upper church of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.
![Our Lady of Siluva](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception24.jpg)
Our Lady of Siluva
![Our Lady of Ephesus.](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception28.jpg)
Our Lady of Ephesus.
![The Our Lady of La Vang statue at the National Shrine.](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception26.jpg)
The Our Lady of La Vang statue at the National Shrine.
![Memorial Hall in the crypt of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception29.jpg)
Memorial Hall in the crypt of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.
![National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception25.jpg)
National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.
![Memorial Hall in the crypt of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception30.jpg)
Memorial Hall in the crypt of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.
![The exterior of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.](https://memosandmirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NationalShrineImmaculateConception31.jpg)
The exterior of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.
The Basilica is sprawling and it’s easy to spend hours inside looking at the chapels, art, and statues. This is definitely on my list of things to show all visitors in the future.
What other local monuments do I need to check out?
No Comments