Westminster Cathedral
| Westminster Cathedral | |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood | |
Westminster Cathedral as seen from Victoria Street | |
Westminster Cathedral Shown within Central London | |
| 51°29′46″N 0°08′23″W / 51.4961°N 0.1397°W | |
| Location | Westminster, London, England |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Website | westminstercathedral |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Dedication | Most Precious Blood |
| Consecrated | 1910 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect | John Francis Bentley |
| Style | Neo-Byzantine |
| Years built | 1895–1903 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 110 m (360 ft) |
| Width | 47 m (156 ft) |
| Number of towers | 1 |
| Tower height | 87 m (284 feet), including the CROSS |
| Administration | |
| Province | Westminster |
| Diocese | Westminster (since 1884) |
| Clergy | |
| Archbishop | Richard Moth |
| Dean | Slawomir Witon |
| Laity | |
| Organist(s) | Simon Johnson, Peter Stevens |
Listed Building – Grade I | |
| Designated | 1 December 1987 Amended 15 February 1994 |
| Reference no. | 1066500 |
The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood, informally known as Westminster Cathedral, is the largest Catholic church in England and Wales. It is dedicated to the Blood of Jesus Christ and is the seat of the Archbishop of Westminster.
The original site on which the cathedral stands in the City of Westminster was purchased by the Archdiocese of Westminster in 1885, with construction taking place from 1895 to 1903. Designed by John Francis Bentley in a 9th-century Christian neo-Byzantine style, and accordingly made almost entirely of brick, without steel reinforcements, Sir John Betjeman called it "a masterpiece in striped brick and stone" that shows "the good craftsman has no need of steel or concrete."
The cathedral received Apostolic Visits from Pope John Paul II on 28 May 1982 and from Pope Benedict XVI on 18 September 2010.