House of the Temple

The House of the Temple
House of the Temple in 2008
Location within Washington, D.C.
General information
Architectural styleAmerican Neoclassicism
Location1733 16th St NW, Washington, D.C., United States
Coordinates38°54′50″N 77°02′09″W / 38.9138°N 77.0359°W / 38.9138; -77.0359
Construction startedOctober 18, 1911
CompletedOctober 18, 1915
ClientScottish Rite of Freemasonry
Design and construction
ArchitectJohn Russell Pope
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The House of the Temple (officially, Home of The Supreme Council, 33°, Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, Washington D.C., U.S.A.) is a Masonic temple in Washington, D.C., United States, that serves as the headquarters of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A.

Designed by John Russell Pope, it stands at 1733 16th Street, N.W., in the Dupont Circle neighborhood, about one mile directly north of the White House. The full name of the Supreme Council is "The Supreme Council (Mother Council of the World) of the Inspectors General Knights Commander of the House of the Temple of Solomon of the Thirty-third degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry of the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States of America." It was modeled after the tomb of Mausolus at Halicarnassus.

The Temple holds one of the world's largest collection of materials related to Scottish poet and Freemason Robert Burns. The Temple's main Library is the first and oldest public library in Washington, D.C.