Last Updated on February 12, 2024 by Travelationship
Labeled as one of the world’s notorious secret societies, a quick visit will indeed prove they are anything but. Just outside the tourist area of Washington DC, at the corner of 16th St., N.W., and S St., you’ll find a temple that most certainly stands out amongst its neighbors. The House of the Temple is home to the world’s oldest and largest fraternity, known as Freemasonry. Born of the stonemasons’ guilds of Europe, this fraternal organization has been around since the 14th century.
Visiting the Freemasons Grand Lodge in D.C.
The Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia has been the headquarters of the Scottish Right of Freemasonry since its completion in 1915. Designed by architect John Russell Pope, construction began in 1911 and was inspired by the famous Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, one of the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.” Suppose you are interested in seeing some of Pope’s other architecture while in town. Check out the National Achieves, the Jefferson Memorial, and The National Gallery of Art. At first glance and throughout your visit, you will notice an Egyptian influence, and our tour guide noted that this is reflexive of the time of its inception.
Freemasons believe in honor and that a man has a responsibility to behave honorably in everything he does. Freemasonry teaches its members the principles of personal decency and personal responsibility. It hopes to inspire them to have charity and good will toward all mankind, and to translate principles and convictions into action.
The Scottish Rite
Freemasons: Ritual and Symbolism
Ritual governs the Freemasons. Members ascend through the levels or degrees of the fraternity, with 33 being the highest degree a member can obtain. Unlike most organizations, you can only achieve 32 degrees through your actions; to reach the final level, it must come from your brothers. They have abided by their rules and customs since their inception and show no signs of changes; right down to the Tyler, who stands guard over member meetings, sword in hand. However, what happens on the other side of the door from the Tyler inside the grand Temple Room will leave little doubt that the traditions of Freemasonry are still practiced.
Symbolism is as much a part of the Freemason’s world as the ritual. Most prominent are the Masonic Square and Compass: the Square, to square our actions, and the Compass, to keep us within due bounds. Other examples are scattered throughout all parts of the building. For instance, in Greek mythology, Hermes, the messenger of the gods, can be seen on the light fixtures delivering illumination “knowledge” to the facility. Thirty-three shows up again in the number of columns surrounding the facade of the building, which correlates to the highest level a member can ascend to in society.
Freemasons: Knowledge
The quest for enlightenment, interchangeable with knowledge, in this case, is an essential cornerstone of Freemasonry. That point was evident in the number of reading rooms and book collections throughout the temple. The Scottish Rite had the first library open to the public in the District of Columbia, and it remains available to this day. A prime example of their belief is that knowledge is to be shared for all’s benefit.
My Thoughts:
Their acceptance of all who entered was something that immediately caught my eye. With one notable exception, sorry ladies; fear not though the Eastern Stars is your exclusive home. They believe in a higher power but do not single one entity out over another; in their eyes, Judaism stands shoulder to shoulder with Muslims, Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and any other religion. I think this is one of their most important aspects, and I am delighted to see it in practice. Intending to make the world a better place simply, finding any fault with the organization is challenging.
Travel Basics: The Scottish Rite Temple
Tours are free and are available Monday thru Thursday. In June and August, they are open from 9 am and 4 pm. The rest of the year is from 10 am to 4 pm. Tours typically take about one hour.
The library is open year-round from 10 am to 4:30 pm. You can make special appointments between 8 am to 10 am. Note this is a reference library, so books cannot be removed or checked out.
Travelationship Recommendation
Recommended: Whether you are a fan of architecture and symbolism, you are dying to know more about this fraternity of men, or you want to see a Sphinx in D.C., this is an excellent place to pay a visit.
Read about the temple playing a role in a best-selling book.
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We have a long history of Freemasons and Knights Templar in our family. Both my father who adopted me and going back to the great-great-great grandparents of my birth paternal grandmother’s mother’s family who served under General George Washington during the Revolutionary War and helped build this nation. It’s a bright spot in the history of my birth family. I remember my father’s rings with the symbols of the Freemasons which was passed down to my cousin who was also a Freemason. My father was a Knights Templar and I still have his membership card. My mother belonged to the Eastern Star. My husband’s Uncle John is a Freemason and his late wife was the leader of her order of the Eastern Star. Nice to have family information that ties into history.