Westminster Cathedral, London 
 The Catholic Westminster Cathedral is distinguished by unique Byzantine architecture |
Westminster Cathedral in London—not to be confused with the more famous Westminster Abbey a few doors down— is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church in Britain. Its full formal name is the Cathedral Church of Westminster.
The site on which the cathedral stands originally belonged to the Benedictine monks who founded Westminster Abbey. Since then, it has been variously used as a market, a garden, a waste dump, and a prison.
 The impressive nave of Westminster Cathedral. |
The property was acquired by the Catholic Church in 1884, the foundation stone was laid in 1895 and the majority of the building was completed in 1903. The cathedral was designed in the Early Christian Byzantine style by the Victorian architect John Francis Bentley.
Many visitors to London don't even know this cathedral exists unless they stumble upon it on their way to Wesminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. Yet for those who walk by, Westminster Cathedral is difficult to miss - towering over an open piazza, it is a striking building of red brick and stone in a Byzantine design, quite different from Britain's native cathedrals. The architecture is just as lovely and unique inside, but the main attraction of Westminster Cathedral for many Londoners (and visitors) is its quiet, prayerful atmosphere away from the noise and bustle of the surrounding city.
 Station V, carved by Eric Gill.. |
The interior of the cathedral remains incomplete, but this is not obvious to the untrained eye. Eight yellow-marble columns support the huge canopy over the high altar and Byzantine mosaics cover the chapels and the vaulting of the sanctuary. The friezes of the fourteen Stations of the Cross, by the sculptor Eric Gill, are world-renowned.
An elevator to the top of the 82m (269-ft.) bell tower rewards visitors with sweeping views that take in Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and St. Paul's Cathedral.
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| Address: | Ashley Place, London, SW1 |
| Phone: | +44 (020) 7798-9055 |
| Tube: | Victoria |
| Hours: | Tower: May-Nov daily 9am-12:30pm and 1-5pm; Dec-Apr Thurs-Sun 9am-5pm |
| Services: | Mon-Fri 7am-7pm; Sat 8am-6pm; Sun 8am-7pm. |
| Cost: | Cathedral free. Audio tours £2.50. Tower £3. |
| Photos: | Permitted. |
| Other: | There is a cafe serving light snacks and soft drinks from 9am to 5pm and a gift shop open from 9:30am to 5:15pm. |
Sources: Personal visit, Westminster Cathedral website, and Frommer's England.
