Topped with a 160ft minaret, this pale limestone structure on Embassy Row is the national mosque for American Muslims and dates from 1957. Inside, the mosque glows with bright floral tiling, thick Persian rugs and gilt-trimmed ceilings detailed with more Quranic verse. Visitors may enter but must remove their shoes before doing so and women must cover their hair with a scarf.
Islamic Center
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
3.2 MILES
Since 1800, this is where the legislative branch of American government (ie Congress) has met to write the country's laws.
1.74 MILES
Play image association with the words “Washington, DC,” and chances are the first thing that comes to mind is the White House. The president’s pad is…
14.51 MILES
One of America's most visited historic sites, Mount Vernon was the beloved home of George and Martha Washington.
2.32 MILES
Sprawling across hills above the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia, Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for America’s most revered…
2.84 MILES
The legendary exhibits at the National Air and Space Museum include the Wright brothers' flyer, Chuck Yeager's Bell X-1, Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St…
2.68 MILES
Two buildings. Hundreds of masterpieces. Infinite enjoyment. It's easy to spend a full day at the National Gallery of Art, which showcases a whole range…
1.96 MILES
Anchoring the National Mall's west end is the hallowed shrine to Abraham Lincoln, who gazes across the Reflecting Pool beneath his neoclassical, Doric…
Nearby attractions
0.33 MILES
This 24-acre, obelisk-studded cemetery contains winding walks and 19th-century gravestones set into the hillsides of Rock Creek. It’s a fantastic spot for…
0.35 MILES
This Georgian-revival mansion offers guided hour-long tours focusing on the 28th president’s life and legacy. Genteel docents discuss highlights of Wilson…
0.36 MILES
An impressive sculpture fronts the building: a life-size, cross-legged St Jerome dreaming over his book, by renowned Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović.
4. Kahlil Gibran Memorial Garden
0.38 MILES
Located within a wooded ravine known as Woodland-Normanstone Park, this garden memorializes the arch-deity of soupy spiritual poetry. Its centerpieces are…
0.39 MILES
Next door to Dumbarton Oaks garden, Dumbarton Oaks Park was once part of the estate but is now a public woodland beloved by joggers and dog walkers…
0.43 MILES
The mansion's 27 acres of enchanting formal gardens are straight out of a storybook. The springtime blooms – including heaps of cherry blossoms – are…
0.43 MILES
The crumbling graveyard dates from the early 1800s. It takes its name from Mt Zion United Methodist Church, which used to be located beside the site…
8. Female Union Band Society Cemetery
0.44 MILES
This cemetery was founded in 1842 by a society of free black women who pledged to help one another in sickness and in death. The graveyard originally was…