Granite columns symbolic of the Temple o

Granite columns symbolic of the Temple of King Solomon rise to the ceiling as they surround doors with double-headed eagles in the Temple Room 19 November, 2007 at the headquarters of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern jurisdiction, USA in Washington, DC. In the center of the room, as it is in the center of the Scottish Rite, is the altar. Made of black and gold marble, and resting on a black marble plinth, it dominates the Temple Room. On the front of the altar, in Hebrew characters, is the inscription, "God said, Let there be light, and there was light." The windows serve as another symbol of the progressive search for more light, and the eagles are symbols of strength and freedom. AFP PHOTO / TIM SLOAN (Photo credit should read TIM SLOAN/AFP via Getty Images)