Westminster Cathedral

Westminster Cathedral

Westminster Cathedral
4.5
About
Admission to the Cathedral is free but donations are gratefully received Tower Lift - £6 adult; £3 concession; £14 family ticket (2 adult and 2 children) If you enter the Cathedral at a quiet moment in the day, don’t imagine that it is always like this. Westminster Cathedral must be one of the busiest churches in the United Kingdom. Located in the heart of London, it is the mother-church of England & Wales. People are drawn to this great edifice from all over London, all over the country and the world. If you are trying to imagine ‘what goes on’ here, consider that there are seven masses each day, many great services of worship on special occasions and unique gatherings of every description which fill the Cathedral to the doors. Westminster Cathedral Choir, justly renowned for consistent excellence, sings at the Solemn Mass each evening - with few exceptions. Even when no public ceremony is taking place, the private prayer of individual believers is a work of faith, continuously in progress. The Cathedral is a sacred space at the heart of a great city, dedicated to the worship of God.
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Neighbourhood: Victoria
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  • nowpacking
    Dallas, Texas4,219 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Massive Cathedral
    Westminster Cathedral is a must stop! Dating back to 1895 the cathedral is designed in the Neo Byzantine style. The massive building is so striking from the outside with its soaring bell tower but the interior which is covered in mosaics will draw you in. Many different alters - all beautifully designed.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 24 October 2023
  • Karensrh
    Cambridge, United Kingdom58 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An idyll of peace and a warm welcome
    An idyll of peace..beautiful building, friendly people, a welcoming, clean cafe and clean, state of the art disabled toilets..all within a minute's walk of Victoria tube station. I often find London overwhelming and distressingly anonymous and deeply appreciated the space, peace and the welcome when I visited on 27th October.. I am thinking that this would be a great place for me to suggest to friends for meeting up in central London over the winter. Thank you.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 3 November 2023
  • Siteseer1
    Jacksonville, Florida948 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    1st stop In London
    This was our 1st attraction in london, after our flight and morning arrival. No far from victoria station, our home base. Short walk and a beautiful church that has an interior look that appears much older than it is. They have a tower you can go up to for city views, the day we went was rainy with poor visibility. Worth a visit, no cost.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 3 June 2024
  • Meander37592549828
    6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A cool respite.
    Beautiful with a gentle, deep, quiet spiritual presence. An oasis in the midst of a hectic London day. Enjoyed the small side chapels dedicated to various saints as well as a rich mid day mass.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 3 July 2024
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,531 reviews
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sfuhere
uk826 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Friends
I always used to think this was my favourite cathedral in London, eclipsing the Protestant ones. It’s certainly different. There is a much more holy atmosphere inside, whereas its namesake the Abbey really feels more like a tourist attraction than a church. Still, it’s perhaps a rather unfair comparison. The side chapels here are incredible - so much to see and such rich decoration. We didn’t venture up to the tower but maybe next time. Definitely worth a visit and something of a hidden gem for many visitors to London.
Written 16 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

BHNY
London, UK124 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2022
This is review for the excellent Cathedral cafe which is based downstairs in the crypt of the cathedral. If you are nearby to the cathedral this is an excellent place to visit for lovely home made food, coffee, cakes and lots of other light snacks. The cafe is run by a lovely couple who are super friendly and helpful. Nothing is too much trouble for them.
The amazing food is also very reasonably priced and is a real option to eat around Victoria or if you are attending services at the Cathedral. Make sure you look out for the sign for the cafe when you go into the cathedral, most people do not realise there is cafe in Westminster Cathedral…..great place to enjoy your lunch.
Written 2 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

BeatrizctFreitas
Lisbon, Portugal179 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Solo
Without a doubt, a church that stands out from all the others. As English religious architecture is strongly characterized by Gothic, this cathedral arouses the interest of the most curious due to its Byzantine details, including the mosaic in the tympanum. It is possible to visit the interior, however, I recommend knowing the worship hours in advance to go at a time when you can photograph the interior.
Google
Written 9 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Louis Cecile
London, UK573 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023
The cathedral dominates Victoria. It is a tourist attraction that serves the catholic community. The outside is grand and provides decent photo opportunities. The inside is dark with plenty of seating for those attending mass. There are numerous statues of saints for prayer. The masses are well attended and the noon Sunday mass highlights their world-famous choir. The cathedral holds mystery and wonder for most visitors. There is also St Paul's Catholic bookstore next to the cathedral for obtaining Catholic items and souvenirs. A recommended visit for mass or sightseeing.
Written 7 March 2023
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Ray
Staines, UK798 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2020
There are two very similar sounding heavyweight cathedrals in one vicinity but other than their common first names, they are very different.

The one in question Westminster cathedral is made only of bricks and surrounded by modern glass buildings. It's pale colour scheme doesn't help it stand out and it's unusual design doesn't let it blend in with anything either.

It is very strange looking and despite its huge size, it's not imposing or serious like gothic architecture. It's almost like that it was designed for children because it can easily be in any Disneyland and no one will ask any question. I mean they gave it white stripy dress but also a very dull colour. Might as well paint it bright and avoid all confusion.

However its interior is where it really impresses. It's not only huge but really beautiful with multiple little chapels within. Inside you'll find all bells and whistles that you expect in grand church of that size.
Written 24 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SBJHBarnet
Barnet, UK185 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2024 • Couples
A beautiful building in somewhat uninspiring surroundings with some really colourful and intricate mosaic work that could make you feel as if you are in Ravenna. Very impressive on a grand scale. Many interesting and informative descriptive panels throughout for visitors (in English only), some of which could do with renewal where they have faded a bit!
The tower is worth the modest fee to use the reassuringly-slow vintage lift to get to the top but a shame that it is only open (currently) on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We rescheduled a planned Thursday visit to be able to do this when we noticed the limited availability in a relatively-obscure corner of the website. Tickets available from the gift shop without advance booking. The views are not wildly impressive but give a unique view of the locality, including the roof gardens on a nearby mansion block, as well as the roof of the main cathedral building.
There is also mention on the Website of the Treasury but this was closed to visitors in the middle of a busy Saturday afternoon with no indication of when or if it may be open to public viewing. This was disappointing, but we should perhaps have enquired first.
All the recent former Cardinal Bishops are buried in the main body of the cathedral under simple but impressive memorial slabs. The pulpit is very ornate and the font must be one of the largest in existence.
We consider this to be a must-see attraction in London regardless of religious belief and well worth the effort and time to do so. Don’t miss it - you are unlikely to be disappointed
Written 5 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jeffry b
Essendon, Australia13,634 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023 • Couples
Westminster Cathedral is the mother church for the Roman Church in England and Wales. Although the Roman Catholic Church has an ancient tradition in England and Wales, this Cathedral was not completed until the early 20th Century. The Cathedral is built in Retro Byzantine style. It is the largest Roman Catholic church in England and Wales and it is one of the largest churches in the world. Westminster Cathedral is built entirely of brick, which in itself is remarkable..
Written 7 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Princes of travel
Paris, France6,789 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2024 • Couples
Westminster Cathedral is a few blocks from the famous Victoria Station. Neo-Byzantine in style, with white and red stripes on the outside, it was opened to the public in 1903.

Admission is free, however it is possible to climb into the campanile for a few pounds sterling. Be careful with the schedules because access to the campanile is not possible during noon.
The interior is pretty enough and richly decorated with mosaic, gold and marble. Don't miss to see the pretty baptistery and the heart as well as the nave. Allow 20 to 30 minutes of visit for this beautiful cathedral.
Automatically translated
Written 30 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nik R-H
Norwich, UK187 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Couples
It’s an interesting space and has some nice mosaics in side chapels and other parts of the building. Admission is free although donations obviously encouraged. It does always strike me as feeling very unfinished inside, with the upper half of the main ceiling being very dark and bare - my understanding is the intention has always been to continue and one day finish it all pending sufficient funds and donations, but realistically I suspect the human race will die out before they get round to it. It is certainly worth taking a look around, not least as it’s so close to Victoria station and so very easy to get to.
Written 18 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TravellerFromNWales
North Wales, UK437 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
We called into Westminster Metropolitan Cathedral, the main Catholic Cathedral in Wales and England on a Sunday. The building is vast with a tall tower like steeple.

Once inside, you see that it is a cathedral which has never quite been finished with its exposed brickwork in the roof.

The chapels along the sides of the cathedral are ornate and the alter is impressive. As a working church, there were many people praying and a Mass was starting as we were leaving.
Written 8 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Westminster Cathedral, London

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