VIBE

Tranquil and reverent, this cathedral is a surprising find in a bustling neighborhood. Priests are welcoming and enjoy speaking with visitors as they peruse the beautiful architecture.

GO HERE WITH

Yourself; friend; family member

WHY WE LIKE IT

Peaceful haven just steps away from Victoria station. This is a hidden gem set back from the street with beautiful mosaics and over a hundred different marbles.

WHAT WE WOULD CHANGE

Not much. This is quite a pleasant destination just as is.

GOOD TO KNOW

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 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.

CLOSEST COMPS

Southwark Cathedral (London); St. Paul’s Cathedral (London)

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