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    Earthquake knocks stones off National Cathedral

    WASHINGTON (AP) โ€” The East Coast earthquake damaged three of the four pinnacles atop the main tower of the landmark Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday, and there were visible cracks in the church's structure.

    The pinnacles are the top spires on the cathedral's towers and are the highest point in the city. The tops of the pinnacles โ€” capstones known as finials โ€” fell off, littering the surrounding grounds with stones and small chunks of rubble.

    "It's not massive damage but it's very serious," Sam Lloyd, dean of the National Cathedral, said.

    There are also cracks in the flying buttresses at the cathedral's east end, the oldest part of the structure, which often has been the site of funerals and memorials for presidents and other members of the nation's political elite.

    A statement issued by the cathedral said the buttresses supporting the main, central tower appeared to be sound, and the tower itself was not leaning as a spokesman had reported previously.

    The statement said there are some cracks on upper floors in the interior of the church, but no damage to stained glass windows has been reported.

    The cathedral, popular with tourists, has been evacuated and closed and stone masons are assessing the damage. Structural engineers are expected to survey the damage overnight.

    Built between 1907 and 1990, the cathedral is an Episcopal Church landmark in the nation's capital and is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world. Located in northwest Washington near foreign embassies and the vice president's residence, the Gothic-like structure rises higher than the Washington Monument and its spires are the highest point in the city.

    ___

    Associated Press writer Sam Hananel contributed to this report.

     

    13 comments

    • turtlewannabee  •  9 mths ago
      @Michael & Inlander. i very much agree, the cathedral is a very beautiful structure and i hope it can be quickly and safely restored.

      @ the rest of you: couldn't you give your tired political snipes and religious tirades a rest? they are more destructive than earthquakes. and frankly, pretty tiresome.
      • Christine 9 mths ago
        I love old architecture. I have a beautiful painting of St. Peter's Cathedral in my living room. Paid $400 to have it framed respectively.
      • tanglefoot 9 mths ago
        Where I live, old architecture is a log cabin with a couple of goats on the roof, or if you really want to get artsy fartsy... How about a nice one room whale bone fish camp lean-to?... Bring your own Ulu...
      • turtlewannabee 9 mths ago
        my mother's family lived in two abandoned boxcars for a year during the depression. almost as nice as a whale bone lean-to! my little town has a turn of the century (20) schoolhouse that has been renovated as a B&B. it is the only 3 story building in town:)
    • Obushama  •  9 mths ago
      The quake was caused by 300,000 illegals storming the halls of immigration to get those work permits Obama is handing out to them ...
    • Auntie Amy-Ree Kinn  •  9 mths ago
      I hope there were no young boys hurt inside the church. It's bad enough they have to endure being victimized by the priests that engage in pedophilia and then have the added indignity of bricks falling on their heads.
      • Save the USA 2012 9 mths ago
        So stoopid to say.
      • Auntie Amy-Ree Kinn 9 mths ago
        Krispy Duck, why are you defending pedophiles?
      • Wink 9 mths ago
        Do you understnad that this is an Episcopal church? The priests can get married and they have not had the pedaphile problems that the Catholic church has had.
    • michael  •  9 mths ago
      A beautiful building, I hope damge was minimal
    • Choose the Red Pill  •  9 mths ago
      This is a clear sign from god that he is most displeased with al the tea baggin going on in DC.
    • Niwrek Yussef  •  9 mths ago
      the fall of mystery babylon............
    • Niwrek Yussef  •  9 mths ago
      Tectonic plate ruptured...2012....... I guess the next big thing will be the yellowstone...........
      • Munkee W 9 mths ago
        We can certainly hope so. That would pretty much smash the bible belt and eliminate most of the rank-and-file right-wingers.
    • sos  •  9 mths ago
      shake one more time to bring down the tower of today babylon.
    • chris  •  9 mths ago
      God is #$%$ with the Liberal USA..........
      • Munkee W 9 mths ago
        Really? Then why did he wait until AFTER the tea-baggers were in office and held the economy ransom? No, if there is a "god" and the earthquake were his doing, it would be because of his displeasure at the so-called "christian" right-wing hypocrisy and apostacy.
      • Monkey 9 mths ago
        WOW....you mean if the liberals #$%$ off god he's going to destroy ALL churches???sounds like your god needs some work on his aim.
    • Inlander  •  9 mths ago
      A beautiful landmark. Hope the cathedral can be repaired.
      • Munkee W 9 mths ago
        It should have completely collapsed, like all churches.
    • Warrior  •  9 mths ago
      The UNited Staes has cracked - Thanks Bush Republicans - your not GODS after all..
    • Choose the Red Pill  •  9 mths ago
      It's a sign from jesus. He wants the tea baggin hypocrites out of his cathedral, out of DC, and out of this world.
    • Edmarc  •  9 mths ago
      The great and abominable church shall fall and how great shall be the fall of it.
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