There are a number of churches in London, but this is perhaps one of the most noteworthy religious sites in the city.
Serving as the mother church for the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, Westminster Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Westminster.
With England's oldest churches reaching back to the first century AD, it is fairly new in terms of age, having been completed in 1903.
The cathedral was designed to fit in with buildings of the industrial age. Think striped red brick Neo-Byzantine style rather than the usual embellished gothic creations with grand arches.
Inside it's another story, with vaulting and arcading, stunning mosaics, grills and gates, a massive high altar, reliquaries, side chapels, and so much more. It's truly stunning.
Westminster Cathedral is the largest Catholic church in the UK, and one that Catholics and non-Catholics alike are sure to find impressive.
I've written this post to give you some help in visiting the cathedral. It covers how to get there, how to get to the top of the cathedral, when mass is held, how to hear the Westminster Choir, and other important details.
- How to Get There
- Hours and Mass Times
- Hours of Services
- Go to the Top of the Cathedral
- Westminster Choir
- Tips from Locals and Travelers
No matter how you choose to get here, some walking will likely be required.
Thankfully, the cathedral is pretty close to a lot of public transport stops and other notable sites you will probably want to see while sightseeing in Westminster.
Location
Address: Victoria St, London SW1P 1LT
Westminster Cathedral is located just south of Buckingham Palace, a leisurely 5-10 minute walk from The Queen’s Gallery and the Royal Mews.
Hop On Hop Off Bus
A lot of hop-on, hop-off bus tours have stops at or near the nearby Buckingham Palace. It's one of the easiest ways to reach the cathedral if you’re already planning to use these services.
The Tube
That being said, you can also get here from Victoria Station, which is about a 5-minute walk from the cathedral. Along the way, you can even see Little Ben!
Check our post on how to use the London Underground for more details on how to get to Victoria Station.
Bus Routes
There are also bus stops on Vauxhall Bridge Road and Victoria Street which serves the following bus routes:
- Westminster Cathedral | Victoria Station (Stop M)
- 3, 11, 24. 26. 148. 211
- Vauxhall Bridge Road | Neathouse Place (Stop L)
- 2, 36, 185, N2, N136
- Westminster City Call | (Stop SB)
- 11, 24, 148, 211, 507, N11, N44, N136
WESTMINSTER CATHEDRAL HOURS OF SERVICES
Below we've listed the hours of various services. These times are generally solid though they are subject to change.
Please refer to the Cathedral events calendar for times of services during Christmas, Easter and on Bank Holidays.
Cathedral Hours
- Daily
- Open: 7:30 am
- Close: see below for the last mass time on a given day
Weekday Morning Prayer Hours
Morning Prayer typically takes place between the time the doors open to the public and Mass is held.
- Monday-Saturday
- 7:35 am
Mass Hours
Mass is typically held multiple times per day and is open to the general public.
While some hours change from time to time, you can usually expect Mass to be held during the following times:
- Sunday
- 8:00 am
- 10:00 horas
- 12:00 pm | Sung Solemn Mass with Choir
- 17:30 (5:30 pm) | Sung Mass
- 19:00 (7:00 pm)
- Monday - Saturday
- 8:30 am
- 10:30 am | in Latin
- 12:30 pm
- 17:30 (5:30 pm) | Solemn Mass with Choir
- 19:00 (7:00 pm)
Confessions Hours
Those waiting to make Confessional should sit near the south transept, to the rear of the Lady Chapel. This is close to the Confessionals.
- Sunday
- 10:00 horas
- 17:00 (5:00 pm)
- Monday-Friday
- 11:30 am
- 16:30 (4:30 pm)
- Saturday
- 11:30 am
- 17:00 (5:00 pm)
Exposition of the Sacred Sacrament Hours
- Monday - Friday
- 13:15 (1:15 pm)
Vespers Hours
- Sunday
- 16:00 (4 pm) | Solemn Vespers and Benediction (Choir)
- Monday-Friday
- 17:00 (5 pm) | Sung Vespers
- Saturday
- 17:30 (5:30 pm) | Vespers (Sung in English)
Other Helpful Information
There is a Cathedral Café that can be visited for food and drink from 10 am to 4 pm Tuesday-Saturday.
Note that the café can only be reached by a flight of stairs, as can the individual chapels.
Those hard of hearing can attend the British Sign Language-interpreted Mass. It takes place the first Sunday of the month, at 4:30 pm in Cathedral Hall.
GO TO THE TOP OF WESTMINSTER CATHEDRAL
The Westminster Cathedral has a relatively tall bell tower that stretches 87 metres (284 ft) into the sky.
There is a viewing gallery there, one set at 64 metres (210 ft) high, that people can take a lift (elevator) to.
What Can You See From the Tower
One can see in all directions from four balconies on the Tower Viewing Gallery, making it one of the best views in Westminster.
It offers excellent views of nearby sites such as Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, the London Eye, and many other notable sites in the area.
You can also see Victoria railway station, St. George's Wharf, The Shard, Canary Wharf, Chelsea Bridge, and so much more.
There is also an exhibition of drawings that illustrate the design of the Westminster Cathedral, giving you insight into how the building was constructed.
Tower Viewing Hours
- Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays
- 11 am - 15:30 (3:30 pm)
Cost to Visit Tower
After you enter the cathedral, follow the signs for the gift shop. There you can purchase your ticket to the tower.
- Adults | £6
- Families (2 adults/up to 4 children) | £12
- Concessions (aged 60+) | £3
You will then be directed to the elevator that takes you up into the tower.
The Westminster Choir often sings at the Cathedral, while also traveling the world to perform concerts.
The choir is made up of 20 boy trebles and altos between the ages of 8 and 13. There are also ten professional Lay Clerks, vicars who are professional singers
Here are the times the choir performs at the cathedral:
- Sunday Solemn Mass | 12:00 pm
- Sunday Solemn Vespers | 16:00 (4:00 pm)
- Monday - Friday Sung Vespers | 17:00 (5:00 pm)
- Monday - Friday Solemn Mass | 17:30 (5:30 pm)
Be sure to check the Westminster Cathedral Mass calendar for additional hours.
TIPS FROM LOCALS AND TRAVELERS
While we've done our best to provide all the information you'll need to visit Westminster Cathedral, you might have specific questions of your own you need help with.
Our London Travel Tips group on Facebook is the perfect place to look for those answers. With almost 165,000 members, there's always someone willing to provide help.
Here are a few examples of interesting and helpful tips provided by members of our group:
- This member talked about her visit to the Cathedral and provided some tips that would be helpful to those visiting.
2. If you've been to London before and seen most of the big attractions, what else can you visit? In addition to the bell tower at Westminster Cathedral, this reader provides several suggestions. You might also find our post on Unusual Museums in London interesting.
For even more information about Westminster Cathedral, or about anything at all in the London area, please feel free to ask for advice on the Free Tours By Foot London Travel Tips Facebook page.
