Image: Cathedral Galleries, Washington
Washington National Cathedral is marking 15 years since a 5.8-magnitude earthquake damaged the building, with its long-running repair and restoration project continuing toward a scheduled completion in 2029. The anniversary falls on August 23, the date in 2011 when the rare mid-Atlantic earthquake struck and affected architectural elements throughout the cathedral.
According to the cathedral, the earthquake caused approximately $38 million in damage. The restoration has involved stonemasons and stone carvers working to repair what the institution describes as treasured architectural features while also reinforcing the structure for future generations. The project is funded by donations from private individuals and foundations, as well as contributions connected to the cathedral’s visitors and supporters.
The latest update reports that significant restoration milestones have been reached in the North Nave. Planning and preparation are also under way for work on the Central Tower, which the cathedral identifies as the most complex phase of the project. The institution says the overall effort remains on schedule for completion in 2029, with safety, budget oversight, coordination and public communication continuing to guide the work.
The cathedral’s restoration materials present the project as both structural repair and the conservation of architectural art. A 2023 report detailed the rebuilding of a 27-foot pinnacle on the southwest corner of the south transept. The pinnacle, positioned roughly 20 stories above ground, was dismantled in 2017 after the earthquake left it dangerously out of alignment. Its 93 pieces of stone were lowered to the ground before the structure was rebuilt with a new system of stainless-steel support rods.
The cathedral has documented the work through before-and-after photography, restoration videos and conversations with members of its masonry team. One timelapse records workers dismantling 40,000 pounds of stone and lowering it by crane, alongside an Old Testament prophet, while other updates focus on the Central Tower and the cathedral’s stone-carving shop. The institution’s materials credit photographs by Colin Winterbottom and Joe Alonso in connection with the restoration documentation.
The anniversary information appears in the cathedral’s August 2026 news communication, which also directs readers to its preservation resources and behind-the-scenes material. Separately, the cathedral’s calendar lists a Principal Sunday Holy Eucharist for August 23, 2026, at 11:15 a.m. in the Nave, available in person and by livestream. The restoration project itself remains active at Washington National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC, with completion projected for 2029.
