The Basilica--National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

The Basilica is the largest Roman Catholic Church in the U.S and North America and one of the ten largest churches in the world.

The construction of The Basilica started almost 100 years and took years to complete and was done in many stages ---because World War II and the Great Depression disrupted the building work.

Compared to the other large Cathedral in Washington D.C - the National Shrine which has a Gothic style it's a typical Catholic architecture. It's Romanesque in style with not overly elaborate design details.

Although simple in design, The Basilica is still breathtaking in its own unique way in terms of architecture and details. My favorite part of the tour was seeing the various stained glass and mosaic artwork and the numerous chapels which each had a distinct identity and trademark.

It's a bit of a trip out to visit (near the Catholic University) but it's near the Brooklyn-CUA Metro station (red line) and definitely worthwhile.

-OI