Westminster Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Westminster Cathedral |
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| Metropolitan Cathedral of the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ | |
Cathedral from Victoria Street
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| OS grid reference | TQ2924879074 |
| Location | Francis Street, Westminster London, SW1 |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | westminstercathedral.org.uk |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Consecrated | 1910 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | John Francis Bentley |
| Style | Neo-Byzantine |
| Years built | 1895–1903 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 110m (360ft) |
| Width | 47m (156ft) |
| Number of towers | 1 |
| Tower height | 87m (284ft), including the cross |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Westminster (since 1884) |
| Province | Westminster |
Westminster Cathedral, officially known as the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood, is the largest Roman Catholic church in England and Wales. It is the main church for the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster.
This impressive building stands in the City of Westminster in London. The land for the cathedral was bought in 1885, and the main construction was finished in 1903.
The cathedral was designed by John Francis Bentley in a neo-Byzantine style. This means it looks similar to ancient Byzantine churches. It's built almost entirely from brick without steel supports. A famous writer, Sir John Betjeman, called it a "masterpiece in striped brick and stone." He said it showed that "the good craftsman has no need of steel or concrete."
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History of Westminster Cathedral
In the late 1800s, the Roman Catholic Church was just starting to become more organized again in England and Wales. People wanted to build a new cathedral to remember Cardinal Wiseman, who was the first Archbishop of Westminster and died in 1865.
The land for the cathedral was bought in 1884 by Cardinal Manning. Before that, it was the site of a prison called Tothill Fields Bridewell.
Construction finally began in 1895 under Cardinal Vaughan, the third archbishop. John Francis Bentley was the architect. The design was greatly inspired by Byzantine architecture. The building was expected to cost about £150,000.
The foundation stone was blessed on June 29, 1895. Many important people attended this special event.
The cathedral officially opened in 1903, a year after Bentley, the architect, passed away. One of the first services held there was Cardinal Vaughan's funeral Mass. The inside of the cathedral was still mostly undecorated at this time. According to Catholic rules back then, a church couldn't be officially consecrated (made sacred) until it was debt-free and fully built. The consecration ceremony happened on June 28, 1910, even though the interior wasn't completely finished.
In 1895, the cathedral was dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This is shown by a Latin message above the main entrance. It says: Domine Jesus Rex et Redemptor per Sanguinem tuum salva nos, which means "Lord Jesus, King and Redeemer, heal us through your blood."
Westminster Cathedral has welcomed many important visitors over the years:
- In 1977, Queen Elizabeth II visited for her Silver Jubilee Celebrations. She came to see a flower show.
- On May 28, 1982, Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass in the cathedral during his visit to the UK.
- On November 30, 1995, Queen Elizabeth II visited again. She attended a Choral Vespers service. This was the first time a British monarch had taken part in a Roman Catholic church service in Great Britain.
- On September 18, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass in the cathedral during his visit to the UK.
- In May 2021, during the Covid Pandemic, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds were married at the Cathedral.
Architecture and Design
Westminster Cathedral is one of the largest churches in the world. It can seat up to 2,000 people. Its total floor area is about 5,017 square meters (54,000 sq ft).
The building's main features are its tall campanile (bell tower) and a large, open nave (the main part of the church). The nave is 18 meters (59 ft) wide and 70 meters (230 ft) long. It is covered with domical vaulting, which means the ceiling is made of domes.
The main parts of the building are made of brick and concrete. The concrete was used for the domes and vaults. Following Byzantine tradition, the inside was designed to be covered with marble and mosaics. On the outside, the mix of white stone bands and red brickwork gives it a unique look. The bricks were made by hand.
High Altar and Chapels
The most important part of the cathedral's decoration is the baldacchino (a canopy) over the high altar. This is a very large structure, about 9.5 meters (31 ft) wide and 11.5 meters (38 ft) high. It is made of white marble with colorful marble, lapis lazuli, pearl, and gold details. Eight yellow marble columns from Verona support it.
Behind the high altar is a crypt (an underground room). This is where the remains of the first two Archbishops of Westminster, Cardinal Wiseman and Cardinal Manning, are buried.
The cathedral has several chapels:
- The Blessed Sacrament Chapel is on the north side. It has a small baldacchino over its altar and is enclosed by bronze gates.
- The Lady Chapel is on the south side. Its walls are covered in marble. The altar has a mosaic of the Virgin and Child. The ceilings of this chapel have blue mosaics of Old Testament prophets.
- The chapel of Saints Gregory and Augustine was the first to be fully decorated. It features bright mosaics.
- The chapel of the Holy Souls has a more quiet, solemn style with silver backgrounds.
Along the outer aisles, you can find the Stations of the Cross. These are sculptures by Eric Gill and are considered some of his best work.
Mosaics and Art
When the architect John Bentley died, there were no finished mosaics in the cathedral. He didn't leave many sketches for them either. This meant that the designs for the mosaics were often chosen by the people who donated money for them.
Many early mosaics, installed between 1912 and 1916, were made by artists from the Arts and Crafts Movement. Gertrude Martin installed the mosaics in the Lady Chapel.
Above the main entrance, there is a large mosaic of Jesus Christ on a throne. He is blessing with his right hand and holding the Book of Life in his left. Next to him are St Peter, the Virgin Mary, St Joseph, and Edward the Confessor. The book's Latin words mean: "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved."
More mosaics were added between 1930 and 1935 in the Lady Chapel, above confessionals, in the crypt, and on the sanctuary arch.
After 1950, new mosaics continued to be added. For example, the Blessed Sacrament Chapel was decorated with mosaics in a traditional, early Christian style. These mosaics show different themes related to the Eucharist, like the sacrifice of Abel and the Feeding the multitude.
In the 1960s, mosaics were added to the chapel of Saint Paul. These show different parts of Paul's life, like his conversion and his shipwreck.
More recently, after Pope John Paul II's visit in 1982, new mosaics have been installed. These include an inscription above the north-west entrance and mosaics of Saint Patrick (1999) and Saint Alban (2001). Christopher Hobbs designed several newer mosaics, including the Holy Family in the chapel of Saint Joseph (2003) and scenes from the life of Thomas Becket (2006).
Music at the Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral has a very strong tradition of choral music, even though it's not as old as some other English cathedrals. This tradition started with Cardinal Vaughan and Sir Richard Runciman Terry, the first Master of Music. Terry trained the choir to sing many old Latin pieces from the English Renaissance that hadn't been heard since the Reformation.
The choir is famous for singing Gregorian chant and polyphony (music with multiple independent voices) from the Renaissance. Many famous composers have written music for the choir, including Benjamin Britten and Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Unlike most other cathedrals, Westminster's choir sings from a hidden area behind the high altar. This, along with the cathedral's excellent acoustics, gives the music a special sound.
The Grand Organ, located in the west gallery, is a very important instrument. It was built by Henry Willis III between 1922 and 1932. It's considered one of the best organs. A famous organ piece, "Carillon de Westminster" by Louis Vierne, was inspired by this organ.
The cathedral has hosted many important musical events. In 1903, the first London performance of The Dream of Gerontius by Edward Elgar took place here. The composer himself conducted it. More recently, in 2007, John Tavener's The Beautiful Names was first performed in the cathedral.
The Cathedral Choir
Cardinal Herbert Vaughan, the founder of Westminster Cathedral, wanted the church's services to be very beautiful. He decided to create a choir of men and boys. The Choir School opened on October 5, 1901, with eleven boy choristers. Cardinal Vaughan told them, "You are the foundation stones."
The Cathedral Choir officially started in January 1902. They have sung Masses and Offices (daily prayers) without stopping since the cathedral opened in 1903.
Richard Runciman Terry became the first director of music. He was a brilliant choir trainer and a scholar who brought back many great works by Renaissance composers like Byrd and Tallis. People would come to Mass just to hear these old pieces sung in their proper church setting.
The choir has also performed many new pieces written especially for them by modern composers. These include works by Vaughan Williams, Gustav Holst, and Benjamin Britten.
Westminster Cathedral Choir made its first recording in 1907. They have won many awards for their recordings, including the prestigious Gramophone Awards in 1998 for Best Choral Recording and Record of the Year. They are the only cathedral choir to have won in these categories.
When they are not busy at the cathedral, the choir also performs concerts in Britain and other countries. They have toured in Hungary, Germany, and the US. They also often perform on radio and television.
The cathedral is sometimes called the 'Drome'. This nickname comes from the early 1900s when the choir members were part of an actors' union. They jokingly called it 'The Westminster Hippodrome', which was shortened to 'The Drome'.
Burials at Westminster Cathedral
Several Archbishops of Westminster are buried in the cathedral's crypt. These include:
- Nicholas Wiseman (died 1865)
- Henry Edward Manning (died 1892)
- Herbert Vaughan (died 1903)
- Arthur Hinsley (died 1943)
- Bernard Griffin (died 1956)
- William Godfrey (died 1963)
- John Heenan (died 1975)
- Basil Hume (died 1999)
- Cormac Murphy-O'Connor (died 2017)
Also buried in the crypt is Alexander Count Benckendorff, who was the Russian ambassador to Britain from 1903 to 1917.
Images for kids
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Cathedral from Victoria Street
