The DC Office of Motion Picture and Television Development is pleased to recognize the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America in Northeast Washington as the October 2014 One City Location of the Month. The 42-acre site is one of the nation's capital’s most unique destinations. The well landscaped monastery grounds include a stunning Byzantine-style church, replicas of various shrines throughout Israel, reproductions of the catacombs in Rome, and beautiful gardens that boast cultivated flowers, including more than 1,000 roses and other plants and herbs. The monastery’s gardens were once dubbed by Washingtonian magazine as the city's "most contemplative."
The Franciscan Monastery is located at 14th and Quincy Streets, nestled in the Brookland neighborhood of Northeast D.C. near the "Little Vatican". Also known as an Oasis of Peace in the heart of the nation’s capital, this holistic friary is anchored by the Memorial Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is surrounded by the Rosary Portico, an expansive Italian/Mediterranean-style arched colonnade that resembles the architecture of ancient Roman basilicas. Walk through a gate in the portico wall and you enter a rugged but charming hillside garden with natural plantings, paths, and reproductions of Holy Land sites.
Behind the monastery, in an area not typically open to the public, is an historic greenhouse, vegetable garden, open field, a one-person hermitage (a contemporary 350-square-foot building used for personal retreats) and a small, free-standing chapel. The property also includes St. Francis Hall, a 1930’s event venue that seats 250 people.
The monastery was dedicated in 1899 and includes full-size replicas of the Holy Land. It was built as a pilgrimage site for people who cannot travel to the Holy Land by the Franciscan friars who, for nearly 800 years, have cared for the Christian shrines in the Holy Land.
The interior of the church is used for religious services daily and not available for filming. However, much of the exterior, including the gardens and the portico are available for filming as long as the projects do not conflict with the Catholic faith. The site recently was used for taping a segment for the History Channel's 10 Things You Don't Know About and a teaser for an upcoming docu-drama by Unity Productions Foundation.
In 2011, the DC Film Office launched One City Location of the Month to bring attention to the wide range of varied, cinematically compelling locations that are available to film and television productions. Former One City Location of the Month recipients include the Smithsonian Castle in Southwest, the Letelier Theater in Northwest, Gateway DC in Southeast, and Union Market in Northeast.
To learn more about the Franciscan Monastery and to view photos, please visit the One City Location of the Month feature on our web site. If you are interested in using the Franciscan Monastery as a future filming location, please contact us at [email protected].