WHERE: Washington National Cathedral. You've seen it as you fly into Washington. It looks commanding and serious from your window seat. It stands guard over all the other buildings in the city. But have you ever ventured into the nave, the crypt or the choir loft?

"Everything in the church has significance, and it's really like a giant book that can be read by many people in many different ways," said John Bryans, a docent at the cathedral. That's fitting because the Episcopal church is intended to be a place for people of all faiths.

Bryans, 83, first saw the incomplete cathedral in 1932. Construction began in 1907, and church services were first held in the Bethlehem Chapel, in the crypt, in 1912. But the cathedral was not completed until 1990. Bryans, a volunteer for eight years, says, "Every time I come here, I see something I haven't seen before." And there is a lot to see.

On a 40-minute guided tour, check out what Bryans calls the "whimsical touches" of the cathedral, including the wood carvings on the choir loft pews, all different. Or look closely at the wrought-iron flower bouquets in the Children's Chapel, where all the pews and kneelers are scaled to the size of a 6-year-old. The tips of the bouquet flowers are animals' faces.

Don't miss the "Space Window," one of 200 stained-glass windows in the cathedral which shows the planets and the path of a space shuttle. In the middle of the window, what looks like a black dot is an Apollo 11 moon rock.

President Wilson is buried in the cathedral. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his last Sunday sermon there just days before his assassination in 1968.

AFTER THE TOUR: Take the elevator to the top of the central tower. The cathedral sits 676 feet above sea level, making it the highest point in the city. Even on a chilly day, wander the cathedral grounds. Find the Chapel of the Good Shepherd, a small outdoor chapel on the Woodley Street side of the cathedral.

WHERE IS IT: Massachusetts and Wisconsin avenues in Northwest Washington. An underground parking garage off Wisconsin Avenue offers plenty of parking; free Sundays, $4 Saturdays. Suggested donation: $3 for adults, $2 for seniors and $1 for children. ... Continuous tours are offered Monday-Saturday from 10 to 11:30 and 12:45 to 3:30, Sundays from 12:45 to 2:30. February is a good time to visit, before the crowds come for spring break. 202-537-6200. www.cathedral.org/cathedral.

WHERE TO EAT: Grab brunch at Cafe Deluxe, 3228 Wisconsin Ave. 202-686-2233.