Two Cathedrals, One Street

Liverpool has two cathedrals and they are a ten-minute walk apart on Hope Street. This is not a coincidence: Hope Street connects the Church of England's territory at one end with the Catholic church's at the other, running through one of the city's most interesting neighbourhoods along the way.

The two buildings could not be more different in style, age, and atmosphere. Seeing both in a half-day is straightforward and gives you a much richer experience than visiting either in isolation.

Liverpool Anglican Cathedral

The essential fact: this is Britain's largest cathedral, and one of the largest in the world.

You approach it from St James's Mount, where it sits on elevated ground overlooking the city. Even from a distance the scale is difficult to process. Up close it is staggering: sandstone Gothic, designed by Giles Gilbert Scott (the same architect who designed the red telephone box) and built between 1904 and 1978. The final result took 74 years to complete.

Entry is free, with donations welcomed.

What to See Inside

The interior is almost overwhelming in scale. The nave is long and broad, the vaulted ceiling high enough that you tilt your head back instinctively. The organ is one of the largest in the UK. The stained glass is rich and varied in quality and age.

Look for the Lady Chapel at the eastern end: this is the oldest completed section of the cathedral, consecrated in 1910, and the most intimate and beautiful space in the building.

The contemporary art interventions change periodically. The Tracey Emin neon ("I felt you and I knew you loved me") is a recent addition that works surprisingly well in the space. The cathedral has a history of hosting significant art installations.

The Tower Climb

For around £6, you can take a lift to a point near the bells, then climb a further set of stairs to the top of the tower. The view from the top is the best panoramic view available in Liverpool: 360 degrees of city, river, and beyond on a clear day. You can see Wales in one direction and the Pennines in another.

The bells themselves are worth a moment: the cathedral has the heaviest peal of bells in the world. If you are there when they ring, you will know about it.

Time needed: 45 minutes minimum without the tower, 90 minutes with it.

The Cathedral Cafe

Having a coffee while sitting inside one of Britain's grandest buildings is a slightly surreal and distinctly recommended experience.

Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King

A ten-minute walk up Hope Street brings you to a building that could not look more different. The Metropolitan Cathedral, consecrated in 1967, is circular, modern, and topped with a spiked crown of stained glass that looks entirely unlike any other cathedral anywhere.

Local nickname: Paddy's Wigwam, on account of its tent-like shape and the city's substantial Irish Catholic heritage. The nickname is affectionate.

Entry is free.

What to See Inside

The circular plan means the altar sits in the centre with seating all around it. This democratic arrangement changes the atmosphere entirely from a traditional cathedral layout.

The real draw is the lantern tower: a 60-foot crown of stained glass that floods the circular interior with coloured light. At different times of day and in different weather, the effect shifts from subtle to extraordinary. Standing under it on a bright afternoon is the closest the building comes to a transcendent moment.

The crypt below, designed by Edwin Lutyens as part of an earlier, never-completed plan for a different and much larger cathedral on this site, occasionally hosts events and is sometimes open for visits. It is a different architectural register entirely: more classical, more monumental, and well worth seeing if accessible.

Time needed: 20 to 30 minutes for most visitors.

Hope Street and What Lies Between

The walk between the two cathedrals covers about 500 metres and is worth doing slowly.

Along the way:

  • The Bombed Out Church (St Luke's): At the junction of Bold Street and Leece Street, a roofless church preserved as a ruin from the 1941 Blitz. Often hosts artisan markets, outdoor events, and occasional small concerts. The empty windows and moss-covered interior walls create a specific atmosphere.
  • The Philharmonic Hall: Home of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. If a performance is on during your visit, it is worth considering.
  • The Hope Street Hotel: A well-regarded boutique hotel and restaurant if you are in the area for lunch or dinner.
  • Bronze suitcases: A Hope Street sculpture installation with luggage tags bearing the names of famous Liverpudlians.

How to Combine Both Cathedrals

Suggested half-day: Start at the Anglican Cathedral (allow 90 minutes including the tower). Walk down Hope Street past St Luke's and the Philharmonic Hall. Arrive at the Metropolitan Cathedral and spend 30 minutes inside. Continue down Mount Pleasant into the city centre.

The whole circuit from Anglican Cathedral to city centre takes around two and a half to three hours at an unhurried pace.

The ConciseTravel Liverpool guide has a detailed Hope Street walk that incorporates both cathedrals and the surrounding neighbourhood.