Last Updated on April 3, 2026 by Tavernier’s Travels
In the middle of London’s Victoria, and just a few minutes walk from Victoria station, sits Westminster Cathedral. The cathedral (officially named The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood) looms over Victoria Street, with its red brick and white Portland Stone stripe facade and tower, it’s a beautiful domineering building.
As you approach the cathedral you walk through a large piazza which gives you a great opportunity to look up and truly appreciate the beauty of her. As you enter the cathedral, you are met with a very dark, imposing but beautiful Medieval Church. This cathedral is huge, there are even security guards at the doors as you enter to ensure safety. Ahead you will find statues of various saints you might wish to pray to as well as lighting candles.
There are many chapels situated along the sides of the inner cathedral with pews where you can kneel and pray or just sit and reflect. I personally like to sit in the chapel of Our Lady (Mary), in silent prayer. It is a great place for quiet reflection and prayer despite the constant movement of people. Walking around is peaceful and wonderous; looking at all the chapels dedicated to saints, you are able to read about each of them along with a prayer if you so wish to pray to them. There are also tours you can book for a more detailed experience. The cathedral has a very impressive bell tower with great views across London from all angles. But don’t worry, there is a lift to take you up to the top, so no traipsing up steep winding steps! Tickets are £10 per adult and can be purchased from the cathedral shop. Fun fact: The bell tower features in the film Foreign Correspondent by Alfred Hitchcock and parts of the cathedral was also featured in the film One Day (2011).
Please note: this is a working place of worship so please be respectful if you should decide to visit. Anyone is welcome to visit the cathedral whether you are catholic or not. It is free to enter, please see the cathedral’s guide.
Useful Things To Know About Visiting Westminster Cathedral
There is a small gift shop within the cathedral selling things such as greeting cards, jewellery, Catholic medallions and prayer cards, among other items. In addition, there’s also a café in the crypt that sells light snacks and beverages. Next door to the cathedral is St Paul’s bookshop – I love browsing in this shop, it sells a host of Catholic/Christian things – such as Catholic statues – for both adults and children. You can also find a selection of Catholic/Christian music CDs and DVDs.
A Little Bit Of History About Westminster Cathedral
As the mother church of Catholics in England and Wales, it’s a very important place for us. It’s the only cathedral to have had two Popes preside over Mass there, one being St John Paul II in 1981 and Pope Benedict in 2010. The late Queen Elizabeth II also visited a couple of times and is the only British Monarch to have done this since the Reformation (although King Charles III recently attended the funeral of The Duchess of Kent there). The cathedral also holds the Queen’s chair in the chapel of St George and the English Martyrs.
The cathedral was built in 1895 and was completed in 1903. It was designed by an architect called John Francis Bentley and was commissioned by Cardinal Herbert Vaughan who wanted the cathedral to have a large space in the interior and something that resembled the basilica of early Christian Rome. There is even a casket made of glass that holds the remains of one of the last Catholic priests put to death by Oliver Cromwell.
If you have time Westminster Cathedral is well worth a visit!
