<P> On July 26, 2017 the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh dedicated its new cathedral, Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, the fifth - largest in the United States . </P> <P> According to the United States Census Bureau, Raleigh occupies a total area of 144.0 square miles (373.0 km), of which 142 square miles (369 km) is land and 0.97 square miles (2.5 km), or 0.76%, is covered by water . The Neuse River flows through the northeast end of the city . </P> <P> Raleigh is located in the northeast central region of North Carolina, where the Piedmont and Atlantic Coastal Plain regions meet . This area is known as the "fall line" because it marks the elevation inland at which waterfalls begin to appear in creeks and rivers . As a result, most of Raleigh features gently rolling hills that slope eastward toward the state's flat coastal plain . Its central Piedmont location situates Raleigh about two hours west of Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, by car and four hours east of the Great Smoky Mountains . The city is 155 miles (249 km) south of Richmond, Virginia, 263 miles (423 km) south of Washington, D.C., and 150 miles (240 km) northeast of Charlotte, North Carolina . </P> <P> Raleigh is divided into several major geographic areas, each of which use a Raleigh address and a ZIP code that begins with the digits 276 . PNC Plaza, formerly known as RBC Plaza, is the largest and tallest skyscraper in the city of Raleigh . The tower rises to a height of 538 feet (164 m), with a floor count of 34 . </P>

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