Where can I see this Darth Vader church?
Recently, I saw a picture that shows a Darth Vader bust:
It seems to be a church or something similar. For me it looks like a big fake, but my friend swears that this is not photoshopped. Therefore, I would like to know where I can see this Darth Vader bust in reality. Where do I have to travel to? And what is the story behind this unusual bust?
Best Answer
Amazingly it was a kid's competition that got it there. The Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC - where Star Wars villain’s sculpted image sits next to a raccoon 200ft up America’s national house of prayer.
A story about it in The Sun.
The Wikipedia article on the Cathedral has more information too:
The Cathedral boasts what is probably the world's only sculpture of Darth Vader on a religious building. During construction of the west towers of the Cathedral, developers decided to hold a competition for children to design decorative sculptures for the Cathedral. The image of the villainous Vader, sculpted by Jay Hall Carpenter and carved by Patrick J. Plunkett, was placed high upon the northwest tower of the Cathedral, fulfilling the role of a traditional grotesque.
Pictures about "Where can I see this Darth Vader church?"
How do you get to Darth Vader in the National Cathedral?
Darth Vader is located on the back of one of the front towers, the tower on the left from the viewpoint of a person looking at the front of the Cathedral.Why is Darth Vader on the Washington Cathedral?
It started in the 1980s when National Geographic World magazine sponsored a decorative sculpture competition specifically for children. Christopher Rader of Nebraska placed 3rd in the competition with his drawing of Darth Vader. The drawing was turned into a sculpture by Jay Hall Carpenter and carved by Patrick J.What church is the National Cathedral?
Washington National Cathedral, also called Washington Cathedral, officially Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, in Washington, D.C., Episcopal cathedral chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1893 and established on Mount St.What gargoyles are on the National Cathedral?
Like the rest of the cathedral, built in the 14th-century Gothic style, the gargoyles are carved of Indiana limestone.Only you, the birds, and Darth Vader can get this D.C. view
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Answer 2
Not contradicting the references to the Darth Vader sculpture on The Washington National Cathedral in Washington I would like to direct you to two buildings in Spain.
Sagrada familia is a famous cathedral in Barcelona, Spain. The architect behind it is the late Antoni Gaudi. He is also the architect behind the building Casa Mila. Both buildings are equipped with sculptures/design elements which reminds the spectator about Star Wars storm troopers.
The blog Sistersbailey mentions that George Lucas was inspired by Gaudis Roman guards for his storm troopers. Many other webpages says things like "[..] it is said that George Lucas was inspired[..]", but I have not found a proper reference to this. In an age where Apple can copyright a telephone with rounded edges my guess is that Lucas wouldn't stand a chance in court.
Casa Mila Ventilation ventilation towers (Source Wikipedia)
You might also find Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University interesting. I went there around 10 years ago and the architecture took me on a Star Wars ride. I would not have been a tad surprised if a storm-trooper suddenly came walking across campus.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Kibo FotoArt, ANTONI SHKRABA, Towfiqu barbhuiya, Ylanite Koppens