Let’s count down the grand churches of Washington. National Cathedral often gets first nod with the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception a close second. Depends on what you like more – architecture or art.

But tucked on the corner of Embassy Row at 3400 Massachusetts Ave. NW two blocks from the U.S. Naval Observatory that houses the U.S. Vice President is St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral. From floor to ceiling it’s painted with fantastic art. I mean, every square inch is painted. With a Russian and Belarus congregation, the church was founded in 1930 and built from 1954-62. The bell tower was dedicated in 1988 to commemorate the millennium of Christianity in Russia.

The cathedral replicates the 12^th century St. Demetrius Cathedral in Vladimir, Russia. From 1991-94, Alexander Maskalionov and a team of iconographers painted iconic images through the interior. The website has plenty of images.

The church is open to the public with a very friendly staff. Even a few minutes will leave you in awe of it.