When Dan Brown selected Washington D.C. for the locale of The Lost Symbol, he picked a place rich in history and controversy. While our readers are surely no strangers to the silly conspiracy theories surrounding the design of the Capital City, Mr. Brown sidestepped these easy targets and, in doing so, provided the reader with a far richer experience for their literary visit to the District of Columbia. The result is a tome that provides a fruitful platform for those interested in Masonic sightseeing and to re-experience the city for the first time, even for locals or those who have already made repeated visits to DC.
The House of the Temple
“The colossal edifice, located at 1733 Sixteenth Street NW in Washington D.C., was a replica of a pre-Christian temple – the temple of King Mausolus, the original mausoleum… a place to be taken after death. Outside the main entrance, two seventeen-ton sphinxes guarded the bronze doors.1”
Mr. Brown opens his story inside what may be one of the most fascinating buildings Masonry has to offer. The House of the Temple is the headquarters for the Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, an appendant body of Masonry that consist of the 4th through 32nd degrees as well as the honorary 33rd degree that (avid readers will recall) The Lost Symbol uses as a plot point.
Tours of The House of the Temple are available Monday through Thursday from 10am with the last tour beginning at 4pm. Admission is free for Masons and their families when a dues card is presented and for active and retired military with appropriate ID. The general public is asked to pay $7.33 for adults and $3.33 for students (Over 18 with student ID) and seniors (55+). Children under 18 are admitted at no-charge.
The George Washington National Masonic Memorial
“The George Washington National Masonic Memorial stands atop Shuter’s Hill in Alexandria, Virginia. Built in three distinct tiers of increasing architectural complexity from bottom to top–Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian–the structure stands as a physical symbol of man’s intellectual ascent.2”
This is a landmark that everyone should see at least once in their lifetime. Tours are offered at 10:00am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, and 3:00pm, seven days a week (major holidays excepted) and visitors are encouraged to walk around the first floor and basement of the memorial at their leisure. Freemasons can make arrangements to attend either of the Craft Lodges (Alexandria-Washington Lodge #22 and Andrew Jackson Lodge # 120) that hold meetings in the two beautiful lodge rooms within the building while the Memorial Library (which contains more than 20,000 volumes) is available only by appointment with the Director of Collections.
The Almas Shrine Temple
“He was staring at a building that looked like an Old World mosque. Nestled between two much larger buildings, the Moorish façade was made of gleaming terra-cotta tile laid in intricate multicolored designs. Above the three massive doors, two tiers of lancet windows looked as if Arabian archers might appear and open fire if anyone approached uninvited.3”
This is perhaps the most mysterious of the buildings mentioned in the book. Because of its close proximity to the buildings that surround it and the tree line in front of it, you can’t even see the building in its entirety using Bing Maps Aerial View or Google Maps Street View. Adding to the mystery is that the locale features the beautiful Sphinx Club, a historic landmark built in 1929 that includes a 7,000 square foot soundproof ballroom. As a final point, their Web site doesn’t include a virtual tour, so you’ll have to visit this building in-person to learn more. They offer tours of the building from 8:30am-4:30pm Monday through Friday, and kindly request that you call first (202-898-1688) on the day you plan to visit.
Online Tours
- George Washington National Masonic Memorial:
http://www.gwmemorial.org/tour.html
http://www.scottishrite.org/visitors/vtour.html
Footnotes:
1. Dan Brown, The Lost Symbol (New York: Doubleday, 2009), p. 3.
2. Ibid, p. 290
3. Ibid, p. 366