Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King
About
Liverpool's Roman Catholic cathedral, consecrated in 1967 to Frederick Gibberd's circular design after Edwin Lutyens' original, far grander scheme was abandoned unfinished during the Second World War (Lutyens' crypt survives beneath the present building and is open separately). England's largest Catholic cathedral stands on Mount Pleasant, its concrete lantern tower topped with pinnacles visible across the city centre, with stained glass by John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens flooding the circular nave in colour. It sits at the top of Hope Street, a half-mile walk from the Anglican Cathedral, and the two buildings, one Gothic and stone, one modernist and concrete, built a generation apart by rival denominations, are usually seen together.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓Frederick Gibberd's circular modernist design, consecrated 1967
- ✓John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens' stained glass lantern tower
- ✓Edwin Lutyens' unfinished crypt beneath the present building
- ✓A half-mile walk down Hope Street from the Anglican Cathedral
Tips
- →Free general entry; the Lutyens Crypt keeps separate, shorter hours (Mon-Sat 10:00-16:00) and may charge for exhibitions.
- →Walk the length of Hope Street to pair this with the Anglican Cathedral.
- →Visiting hours can be affected by services; check liverpoolmetrocathedral.org.uk before a special trip.
Best Season
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