For Alonso and his team, it has been a long and unexpected journey.
Grotesques include all fantastical creatures, whether they have drain pipes or not.High up on scaffolding on the southeast side of the Washington National Cathedral, the cathedral’s longtime head stone mason Joe Alonso works six feet apart from the nearest craftsman as they carefully disassemble and remove dangerously loose pinnacle stones dating back to the 1920s with the aid of a giant crane.ĭuring the COVID-19 crisis, construction work has been deemed essential by the mayor of Washington, D.C., and Alonso and his crew of skilled masons and carvers are taking every precaution-practicing, as Alonso puts it, “social distancing stone masonry.” Spreading out across multiple scaffolding decks, with each craftsman wearing a protective mask, they continue their ongoing efforts to safeguard and restore the cathedral, a magnificent 14th-century Gothic-style landmark that was severely damaged when an earthquake rocked the city on August 23, 2011. (On the other hand, some speculate that they were just meant to amuse.)Ī gargoyle is also described as a grotesque, but while all gargoyles are grotesques, not all grotesques are gargoyles. It’s also said that gargoyles were designed as frightening creatures to ward off evil forces or to remind passersby of the fates of sinners. So, what is a gargoyle? Basically, it’s a drain spout, designed to prevent rainwater from eroding the building’s walls. And no wonder: There are 112 gargoyles, the last completed in 1987, and more than 3,000 grotesques and other architectural carvings. Every time I visit I discover something new. Washington National Cathedral, winner of the 2013 Partners in Preservation contest and also one of our National Treasures, is definitely the latter.įrom the light streaming through stained glass windows and bathing the interior in a rainbow glow to the fantastical creatures that adorn the outside, National Cathedral is a photographer’s dream. As a passionate photographer and preservationist, I’m always on the lookout for fascinating buildings, from the funky to the sublime.
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