Walking Down Embassy Row (Washington, DC)

A condensed tour.

Washington, DC is the world capital of espionage. Home to numerous U.S. federal intelligence agencies, I can’t help but wonder about the other half of the action – who is visiting town. The street where this seems closest to reality is Embassy Row on Massachusetts Avenue. I usually begin at the National Cathedral and continue on into Dupont, letting the street lead me past more than 100 foreign embassies and consulates.

One tour of this area that’s on my DC bucket list touts the name “Spies of Embassy Row,” if that tells you anything about the road’s history. Though I’d expect nothing less on a street that’s home to everyone from the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq to the British Embassy, to the Russian Embassy one street from the main thoroughfare.

Outside of the espionage and potentially any number of underground lairs beneath these buildings, you’ll more than likely run into incredible architecture. At times, it reflects the common designs of home countries. With others, it is completely unexpected.

Let’s look at a few now.

Starting off this tour is the Embassy of Brazil. The all-black glass and angular shape of the building makes me think of obsidian, which is frequently found in their country. I can’t help but think of this building as housing just as many floors below ground, but maybe that’s because it reminds me so much of the movie The Incredibles. Being the second embassy to occupy the row, there has been plenty of time for architectural secrets to be covered up. It’s known as the “black box”, which usually signifies mysterious contents. I’m curious to look inside.

Though not pictured, a small, free library box stands post out front at the Embassy of Finland. The luscious swaths of ivy growing up the minimalistic, modern front reflect the country’s emphasis on beauty and valuing nature. This embassy was the first to be awarded the prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certificate for green buildings. Can you see the small blue letters spelling “F I N L A N D” on the fence in front of the driveway that sweeps below ground?

The Mexican Delegation to Washington, DC stands here, separate from its Embassy and Consulate. Its Hacienda-style architecture makes up for its lacking in the other two buildings. The rich color and wrought-iron gates bring a pop of color to the street, and the multi-dimensional, set-off walls give a layered effect to the front of the building. Though I may be biased after working at their Embassy, this is one of my favorites.

The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates Education Affairs Office flaunts a crisp, clean, white color, against which the lawn and trees are especially brilliant. Looking at this photo, I picture a well-decorated wedding cake. Outside of the pure architecture here, I am always enamored by Arabic script. The beautiful letters are foreign to me, but whenever I see them I feel like I’m discovering something new and have a new desire to travel and explore. Many of the other embassies have only presented their names in English, but I’m glad the UAE has displayed it both ways.

The Embassy of Ireland embodies European architecture, though the only Irish city in which I could picture this style is Belfast. The navy-blue circle with the harp settled above the front door is what caught my eye here. The harp is considered the heraldic symbol of Ireland, and it’s common to think of the two together. The idea of having such a storybook item as the national symbol of their country seems so pure and innocuous to me, and the tradition of keeping it present makes me long for more depth in our own culture as Americans.

When I walk down Embassy Row, the parts I find myself liking most are the buildings that bring something new outside of what I experience in everyday American life. A different alphabet, an unusual symbol, a hint of mystery.

I wonder: What language do I hear from the person strolling in front of me down the sidewalk? Who could they be? Curiosity brims within me, and I wish I knew a few more of the world’s secrets.