Marlene M.

So we begin 2021 with a little stroll around the Franciscan Monastery. When we arrived a little after 3PM on Saturday, the gardens had already closed. And I kicked myself for not having coming in the summer when I first discovered it through a friend. My regret was short-lived though, because even in the middle of winter and with access only to the courtyard, the Monastery is one of the most beautiful and serene places you can visit in DC. We walked around the portico, which features plaques of the "Hail Mary" in 150 languages and enjoyed views of the Monastery as the sun set. It is a wonderful place for contemplation, but it's also a lovely one to bring litte ones to, especially when you've run out of things to do indoors. The place has such a peaceful quality to it that you can even manage to do some contemplation WHILE you tell them to walk and not run. Admission to the church is free, as is the visitor parking lot directly across the street. During the pandemic, the church itself is closed to the public. But the gardens are open. We can't wait to return to visit both when it's possible.

Gorgeous hidden oasis! Try to stop in when you can hear a concert as the acoustics are marvelous.

Ariel N.

The Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America which is located in Washington D.C. is the Holy Land friars' U.S. home, dedicated to supporting the 800-year mission of the Franciscan Friars in the Holy Land through pilgrimage, education, vocations and financial support. For 800 years, the Roman Catholic Church has entrusted the guardianship of the Holy Land and shrines of the Christian religion to the Order of St. Francis (Franciscans). Although making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land is on our bucket list, the ability to trek to The Franciscan Monastery which brings the Holy Land experience to America with full-size replicas of Holy Land shrines, a beautiful church and contemplative gardens is so impressive yet humbling. If you ever find yourself in DC, I would highly recommend making this trip to the Holy Land Monastery in DC - it's well worth it and you will be enthralled with the full-size replicas of all the Holy Land shrines. Be sure to seek out and say hello to the Guardian of the Holy Land Monastery Father Larry Dunham, OFM - he's an amazing and very personable "Guardian!"

Yan W.

Kate C. was right... IT'S"S CATHOLIC DISNEYLAND!!! I have to say this is by my FAVORITE PLACE in DC. I never even knew it was there until I saw it on yelp. I took a tour with someone who wasn't religious and we had a great time nonetheless. The docent provided us with an interesting history of both the monastery and Jerusalem. The whole tour was FREE (they accept donations), the grounds were (pardon the pun) immaculate, and everyone was as nice as could be (what do you expect from monks?). The only downside is that the roads there in DC are not labeled.... at all... so bring an iphone or droid. You're GPS will get confused (our TOM TOM did). If you want to go to mass, check their website for the times.

Juhi T.

Peaceful. Simple. Eloquent. Historic. Flowers on flowers on flowers. The monastery is grand on the inside, high ceilings, somber, beautiful artwork. It's actually older than the national cathedral. My favorite though is the garden- it's my new reading spot in DC. On a nice day, if you need some peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of the metro area, come here. Tall oak trees line the pathways providing shade from the sun, beautiful flower beds, little nooks and corners for you to hide away. Whether you're a believer in God or not, you won't be able to deny the beauty and simplicity of nature and the calming peace that surrounds the garden. Perhaps it's God's spirit working through the area, or its nature, or both. But really, this is a great place to clear your mind.

JeffandPriscilla O.

Although my son has been attending college in D.C. for several years, he wasn't aware of this place until I pointed it out to him via Atlas Obscura. We decided that a trip to explore the monastery and grounds should be on our itinerary during a recent visit to D.C. We arrived at the Franciscan Monastery on a particularly chilly January day, ruling out any thought of roaming the gardens. Instead, we headed inside for an early afternoon guided tour. Even though we found ourselves surrounded by a large school group during the tour, the guide made sure that everyone could hear his commentary. The tour started with a short documentary film about the monastery, then proceeded into the chapel. It's a very interesting tour that offers a better understanding of the iconography and architectural elements of the monastery. We find unusual sites more interesting so the catacombs were definitely our favorite. Navigating through the catacombs can be a bit tight with a large group, but not impossible. We did linger at the relic of St. Innocent long enough to miss part of the tour narration but caught up quickly. A final stop in the small gift shop ended our visit. They have lots of unusual items for sale, including a large, hand-carved wooden Nativity Scene. The Franciscan Monastery is definitely a unique site among all the monuments and political attractions in the D.C. area. If you're looking to enjoy something a little different, this is the place.

Amanda J.

The Monastery is one of my favorite places to walk on the weekends. It is only a few blocks from my apartment, and it has the best gardens I have seen in DC. I originally only walked through the upper rose gardens in the summer, and those alone are completely gorgeous and serene. The roses are always full and lovely, and it is especially gorgeous in the rain. Then, I finally started making it down to the lower gardens where the replicas of the grottos, Garden of Gethsemane, Tomb of the Virgin Mary, and more. I am not Catholic so I didn't understand all of it, but I still have a total respect for everything here. I am so excited for next spring so I can see the flowers again! If you are looking to see beautiful flowers, you should come here over the U.S. Botanic Gardens or the National Arboretum because it is ten times better. Two really cool things about the outdoor gardens. First, they are dog friendly! My parents little 8 pounder loves to walk down the walkways and sniff around all of the flowers. Second, an impressive feat is that there are QR codes so that you can learn more about different shrines. What an easy way to learn more! It took me many trips to see the inside of the Monastery. I finally convinced my housemate to come with me for a 2 PM tour on a Sunday. We expected to be the only people, but about five minutes after the tour started, we ended up with a total group of 8. The tour is short at only 45 minutes, and the comparison to a Disney ride is pretty fair. The opening movie with a monk in front of a green screen was a bit cheesy, but once you are in the church, you will be surprised at the beauty. There are beautiful domes and art, and the lower level under the church with the catacombs is really interesting. I do think I would prefer a little more realism in some of the human depictions in the relics, but most things are really beautiful. The Monastery is also exceptionally welcoming, as my housemate is clearly gay, and there was also a middle-aged gay man on our tour. There was ZERO judgement here, which was awesome. Looks like you could end up with some judgy people looking at these reviews, though. People can talk about the churches in Europe all they want, but there is nothing that old in the U.S. If you aren't an entitled white person who thinks your yearly trip to Europe is normal, then you will appreciate the monastery. At the end of the tour, there is a little gift area. Gifts ranged from rosaries, to handmade ornaments and scarfs, to Holy Water, to granola. I guess the monks enjoying making granola. All in all, this is one of my favorite places to come for serenity on the weekends in the warm weather, and it's one of the true hidden gems of DC.

Prairie S.

A beautiful refuge for quiet contemplation in the midst of a residential area. Plenty of parking means low stress. A quiet valley with tall trees and subterranean grotto for meditation. A grand rose garden with columned open passages for great photography backdrops. Lots of nooks with benches for a sit down. A picnic wouldn't be amiss here. No entry fee (here's looking at you Dumbarton Oaks in Georgetown). This place is worth a visit as an off-the-beaten-track spot in Washington D.C.

Andrew L.

I love being a tourist. I have lived in DC for 3 years, and I still enjoy walking up to the Lincoln Memorial. However, it is nice to try to find off-path adventures, especially ones that allow dogs. DC's Franciscan Monastery is great if you are just in town to see the monuments, but have run out of things to see, and its great to just go and walk around the gardens and spend an afternoon outdoors. There are some great photo opportunities, an even the potential to creep yourself out in their catacombs. I would say you should control your expectations, however. One reviewer correctly said that this place isn't particularly stunning if you have been to various cathedrals in Europe. However, this isn't a cathedral, its a monastery. Much less money for decorations. Also, this place wasn't around during the renaissance, and Michelangeloan art is really hard to come by these days. They are doing the best they can.

Marc A.

Staying as a guest of the Monastery for the weekend, they have a spotless and well equipped "Hermitage" in the woods out back, so for a few days at least, I'm a Hermit. Coincidentally, it's the feast of St Francis, and this being a Franciscan Monastery, there's a lot going on... The beautiful grounds, acres upon acres of land -much of it manicured, much of it raw- and to-scale replicas of sacred holy sites make this a sacred holy site in and of itself. The brothers and Fathers are very friendly and accommodating, they even handed me the keys to my very own private chapel tucked away in the woods out back to use whenever I like, 24/7. Even without all of this, the Church itself is a sight to behold... A must-stop for any Catholic -or Christian for that matter- when in DC.

Mary Kate E.

First and foremost, this place is not only historic, but it is very beautiful both inside and out. I was babysitting in the area when the parents told me about the monastery walking distance from their house. The little boy I was watching and I came up for about fifteen minutes before he got antsy and departed. However, the next day, I decided to bring my boyfriend here where we spent a good half of the day just roaming around exploring and people watching. We brought a picnic lunch where we ate it in the parking lot before going across the street to the grounds. Understandable, since they did not want littering and what not. We first went into the church and did our own self guided tour. We didn't wait for a proper tour guide, but rather took it upon ourselves to take in all of the beauty and architecture around us. This was built from 1898-99. There is a real catacomb in here. In Italy, the exhumed the bones of a saint and brought them here to be entombed in the cathedral itself. I am Methodist. Being that I was intrigued about when they hold services and what not to simply check out, I could not help but to be amused by the fairly large confessional calendar they have on Sundays. They had it at 10 and 11AM followed by 1, 2, and 3PM in the afternoon. I guess it makes sense though, right? The grounds are well maintained with hoards of rose gardens of all sorts. I couldn't quit taking pictures because everything was so beautiful. There are mock grottoes (replicas of ones from around the world) and shrines. This is a hidden gem worth seeing especially if you are interested in religion itself or a devout Catholic.