Cathedrals in London

St Paul's Cathedral, London, UK — St Paul's Cathedral

There are four Anglican and Catholic cathedrals in London. Two are Anglican cathedrals, St. Paul's and Southwark and two are Catholic, Westminster and St George's.

Two are north of the River Thames, St. Paul's and Westminster and two are south of the river, Southwark Cathedral and St George's.

The capital also has several Orthodox cathedrals.

See a listing of cathedrals in London.

Cathedrals in London

St. Paul's Cathedral

St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London is a powerful icon of the capital up there along with such popular London attractions as Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace and Piccadilly Circus.

St. Paul's is the masterpiece of Sir Christopher Wren and part of his plan for the rebuilding of London following the Great Fire of 1666.

A St. Paul's Cathedral had stood on the spot since 604 and the present building, the fourth, was constructed between 1675 and 1710.

St. Paul's stands at the very heart of some momentous occasions in British history. These include the state funerals of such celebrated warriors as Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and Sir Winston Churchill, the Jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria and, of course, the royal wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diana took place at St. Paul's.

Southwark Cathedral

Southwark Cathedral (The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie) is on the south bank of the River Thames close to The Shard, Guy's Hospital, the Golden Hinde, the Globe Theatre and the historic George Inn on Borough High Street.

The mainly Gothic church itself dates back to the 12th century and an Augustinian priory dedicated to the Virgin Mary. After Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries, it became a parish church rededicated to St Saviour. By the 19th century the building was in some disrepair and was restored by the architect George Gwilt (1775-1856)

The church became an Anglican cathedral only in 1905. It miraculously survived serious damage during World War II save for a few srapnel marks still visible on its walls.

In the late 20th century Southwark Cathedral became a leader in welcoming LGBTi+ people into its congregation.

St George's Cathedral, London, UK. — Shrine of Frances Xavier Cabrini, patron saint of migrants, St George's Cathedral, London

St George's Cathedral, Southwark

St George's Cathedral (The Metropolitan Cathedral Church of St George), in Southwark, south London is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark. The diocese includes all of London south of the River Thames including Kent and north Surrey as well as the Dioceses of Arundel and Brighton, Plymouth and Portsmouth.

The Gothic building dates originally from 1848 and was designed by Augustus Pugin (1812-1852), best-known for his work on the interior of the Houses of Parliament. It was badly damaged by German bombing during World War II and did not fully reopen again until 1958. The building stands opposite the Imperial War Museum on Lambeth Road.

Westminster Cathedral

Westminster Cathedral is The Cathedral Church of Westminster, and it is both the head of all Catholic churches in England and Wales, and the largest Catholic church in England and Wales.

The outside of the building is unusual and striking, not being built in the traditional Gothic style. With its striped layers of alternating red brick and white Portland stone, the design is based on very early churches in the Byzantine style and has sometimes been confused with a mosque.

It is no mere copy of a Byzantine building, but places like the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul and St. Marks in Venice, served as inspiration for its design. Construction of Westminster Cathedral began in 1895 and it opened 8 years later.

All Saints Cathedral, London, UK. — All Saints Cathedral, Camden Town, London

Othodox Cathedrals

There are several Orthodox Cathedrals in London: Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Georgian Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox and Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox.

The distinctive All Saints Cathedral is a major landmark in Camden Town, north London and was originally an early 19th century Church of England church, now Greek Orthodox. The church is a short walk from the hustle and bustle of Camden High Street.

Saint Sophia Cathedral in Bayswater was dedicated in 1882 and was the seat of the Greek government in exile during World War II. The Byzantine Revival design is by John Oldrid Scott. It is north of both Queensway and Notting Hill Gate tube stations on Moscow Road. The nearest tube station is Bayswater a short walk east.

The Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and All Saints is another major landmark, this time in Knightsbridge. It was originally also an Anglican church. It is just south of Hyde Park close to various embassies and consulates including the Iranian embassy and the Consulate General of Turkey.