Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America

This monastery and church in the Brookland neighborhood recreates shrines of the Holy Land for visitors unable to travel abroad. Built around 1900, the Byzantine-style church sits within landscaped grounds featuring reproductions of sites such as the grotto of Bethlehem and catacomb-style passages beneath the sanctuary. Rose gardens and flowering plantings surround the buildings, tended for both beauty and contemplation. Guided tours descend into the replica catacombs, offering a quiet and unusual pilgrimage experience within the capital.