Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

In spite of its unwieldy name, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (henceforth simply "the Basilica") is an awe-inspiring, though often-overlooked, DC landmark. It's the largest Catholic church in America, the eighth largest religious structure in the world, and the tallest building in Washington, DC, according to Wikipedia.

I had never been there before and it's less than ten Metro stops away from Cleveland Park so I thought it might be worth visiting on my last full day in the District. The Basilica was one of three remaining places on my DC-area "To See" list. I didn't make it to the other two before I left: George Washington's Mount Vernon estate and Shenandoah National Park, a couple hours away in Virginia.

The Basilica is located in a part of Northeast DC known as Brookland, which isn't the city's most inviting neighborhood. Thankfully, the structure is only three blocks from the Metro and the streets were practically empty the Wednesday morning I visited so I was able to get to and from the grounds without incident.

The epic stonework of the Basilica looks like like something out of "Game of Thrones" (King's Landing) or "Lord of the Rings" (the citadel atop Minas Tirith). This goes for both the outside and the inside. When I was there, some large graduation ceremony was taking place inside so I wasn't able to appreciate the cavernous chapel in all its somber, contemplative splendor, but it nevertheless made for a worthwhile experience.

After briefly exploring the crypt and the the main chapel (through which graduates were processing as families looked on), I took a lap around the Basilica grounds, taking in the hulking structure from numerous different angles. My favorite feature of the Basilica was the the narrow, steepled tower next to the main church building. In my mind, I dubbed this the Wizard's Tower even though the Pope might take offense.

After making my way around the Basilica's entirety, I ended up in front of a relief carving of my namesake: Saint Justin Martyr, who lived from the years 100 to 165.