More than a decade after an earthquake shook the East Coast, restoration work at Washington National Cathedral is reaching its final phase, and it is happening nearly 700 feet above the ground.

According to The Washington Post, crews will work from a deck lined with wooden planks and metal pipes, perched 676 feet above sea level, as they repair the cathedral’s central tower, known as the Gloria in Excelsis Deo tower. The project is expected to take three years and is the last major step in the cathedral’s long-running effort to address earthquake damage.

The focus is on some of the most detailed stone elements on the structure. Workers will fix pinnacles, the Gothic spires at the corners of the tower, along with finials, the decorative ornaments that cap those spires. In the quake, some of that stonework twisted, cracked, or loosened, creating the kind of condition that demands careful stabilization and precision repairs.

For mason contractors and restoration teams, the story is a reminder that masonry performance is not only about the wall. It is also about the stone details, anchors, and connections that keep ornate features tight through decades of wind, weather, and unexpected events like seismic movement. Work at this height also highlights a practical reality of preservation jobs: access planning can be as critical as the repair itself, especially when the scope includes elevated corners, caps, and other hard-to-reach pieces.

Read the full, original article from The Washington Post (subscription required at source) here.