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Darth Vader's Seat of Honor at the Washington National Cathedral [Archive] - The Galactic Senate

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Tovor
03-31-2007, 01:29 AM
At least somebody in Washington DC did something smart.

http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral/discover/darth.shtml

As Washington National Cathedral approached completion, the west towers rose towards the sky, striking toward heaven. During the building a startling idea was hatched: hold a competition for children to design decorative sculpture for the Cathedral.

Word of the competition was spread nationwide through National Geographic World Magazine. The third-place winner was Christopher Rader, with his drawing of that fearful villain, Darth Vader. The fierce head was sculpted by Jay Hall Carpenter, carved by Patrick J. Plunkett and placed high upon the northwest tower of the Cathedral.

http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral/pdfs/darth.pdf


To Find Darth Vader you have to leave the building through the ramp entrance. This is located at the northwest corner of the nave, through the double wooden doors of Lincoln Bay. Go down the ramp, and step into the parking lot. Then, turn around and look back up at the tower closest to you. He is almost impossible to see without the assistance of binoculars. (We regret access is not possible for the duration of construction (http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral/visit/pkggarage/index.shtml) – see above*)
Way way way up, almost at the top of the tower is a gablet, or small peaked roof, located between the two huge louvered arches. At the bottom of each slope of this gablet is a carved grotesque. Darth Vader is on the north, or right-hand, side. There is a carved skull situated on a gablet much closer to the ground which many people often mistake for Darth Vader. From this skull, Darth Vader is up and to the left. For more info see Darth Vader Self-Guided Tour. (http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral/visit/self.shtml)


http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral/visit/self.shtml

RollaFett
03-31-2007, 01:36 PM
Well, that's about the most awesome thing I've ever seen, period. I can't wait until my next visit to D.C.!

Darill Cyllem
04-03-2007, 01:47 AM
I have seen it! Wish i'd taken a photo!

RollaFett
01-04-2008, 03:20 PM
Heading to DC this Monday! Gonna have to try and squeeze this in assuming Mrs. Rollafett doesn't put her foot down.

Tovor
01-04-2008, 03:51 PM
Heading to DC this Monday! Gonna have to try and squeeze this in assuming Mrs. Rollafett doesn't put her foot down.
Why don't you MapQuest the location, and find a way to make it part of your route, and just happen to pass by it, assuming it's not too far out of your way, and stop there?

RollaFett
01-04-2008, 04:17 PM
Getting to the cathedral wouldn't be too difficult, it's taking the time to actually see Vader that could prove difficult. According to the site you posted a link to, it's not easily viewed.

Tovor
01-04-2008, 06:30 PM
Yes, I can see how you can't simply stand in front of it. It certainly looks like you'll need a high powered zoom lens to get a good photo of it. What about that video camera you bought last year? Can that zoom-in and capture still images too?

RollaFett
01-04-2008, 06:34 PM
No, it's strictly a video camera, but that doesn't mean I can't freeze an image during editing and use it as a still shot. But that's irrelevant anyway because Mrs. Rollafett has a damned good camera with a zoom lens.

Tovor
01-04-2008, 06:45 PM
Well that's damned good then. Problem solved...except for her not caring for going out of the way for geek sightseeing. :p

What type and length zoom does she have?