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Interesting Sundials of the World

INTERESTING SUNDIALS OF THE WORLD - The Cathedral Landmark of Washington, D.C.

Our second cathedral sundial is known as the "Cathedral Landmark", situated on the grounds of the Washington Cathedral, Mount Saint Albans, Washington, D.C. see illustration to the left. Its inclusion here was made possible by the generous cooperation and help of Mr. Herald L. Stendel. The photograph was taken especially for this website. Mr. Stendel writes: "The following paragraph appears in a guide book "Landmark. The Cathedral Landmark, a few feet north of the Thorn, commemorates the freeing of the Cathedral land from debt and the subsequent hallowing of the Cathedral Close. The donor of the last $50,000, Mrs. Julian James of Washington, set up on Ascension Day, 1906, this beautiful brass sundial on which are inscribed the names of those it commemorates. The sundial marks not only the hour of the day, but the different seasons of the Christian year." Continuing he describes the sundial thus "The `Cathedral Landmark' is a kind of sarcophagus of limestone which rests upon three granite steps. Atop the sarcophagus is a brass plaque six feet long and four feet wide, In relief upon the plaque is a large Latin cross, upon the cross of which is inscribed the hour circle for a horizontal sundial. "Near the north edge of the hour circle and on the stem of the cross stands a vertical Latin cross also of brass. At intervals along the stem of the cross in relief are marked the religious seasons Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Ascension, Whitsunday, St. Peter St. Paul, Trans-figuration, Michaelmas, All Saints, Advent and Christmas. "The top of the vertical cross casts a shadow, which, at noon, points out the religious seasons. The complete sundial is now covered with a rather light green patina." What more fitting memorial could be placed on hallowed ground. There is little more that can be said about this beautiful sundial. It is not a cruciform or cross sundial because the arms of the cross do not indicate the hours. It is really an altitude sundial which is based, in this case, on the declination of the sun, at noon, apparent time. Since the sun's angular height above the horizon is known for each day in the year, the shadow of the cross can and will unerringly note the days, or the religious seasons as on the Cathedral Landmark.

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