The cathedral was damaged in August 2011 during the Virginia earthquake . Finial stones on several pinnacles broke off , and several pinnacles twisted out of alignment or collapsed entirely . Some gargoyles and other carvings were damaged , and a hole was punched through the metal-clad roof by falling masonry . Cracks also appeared in the flying buttresses surrounding the apse . Inside , initial inspections revealed less damage , with some mortar joints loose or falling out . The cathedral , which had no earthquake insurance , struggled to cope with the cost of the damage
Virginia earthquake
2011 Virginia earthquake
Washington National Cathedral