Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral is one of the most striking modern churches in Europe, and it sits at the top of Hope Street facing its Anglican neighbour at the other end of the street. The Roman Catholic cathedral has a story as dramatic as its shape. In the 1930s Sir Edwin Lutyens began a vast classical cathedral, planned to be one of the largest churches in the world, but rising costs and the Second World War stopped the work after only the crypt was finished. In the 1960s the diocese tried again with a competition, and Sir Frederick Gibberd’s design, a circular building under a crown-like lantern, was completed in about five years and consecrated in 1967. Liverpudlians quickly gave it a nickname, Paddy’s Wigwam, and many love it. Inside, the circular nave puts the altar at the centre, so everyone is close to the action, and the lantern tower floods the space with coloured light from tall stained glass designed by John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens. Chapels around the edge add quiet corners, and the great steps outside, finished much later, have become a popular place to sit.
How to visit
The cathedral is at Mount Pleasant, L3 5TQ, at the northern end of Hope Street, about ten minutes’ walk uphill from Lime Street station and about twenty minutes from the waterfront. It is usually open daily from early morning until around six in the evening, and visitors can normally walk in without a ticket, although donations are welcome. As a working cathedral it holds services through the day, and during them parts of the building may be closed to sightseeing, so check the cathedral’s own website before a special trip, particularly on Sundays and religious festivals.
What to expect
Allow forty-five minutes to an hour for the main space and the crypt. The nave is at its best on a bright day, when the colours from the lantern glass spread across the floor and the concrete, and the central altar and the sheer scale of the circle are impressive in any weather.
Most visitors also explore the crypt, which is the only part of Lutyens’ grand scheme that was ever built and gives a sense of how enormous the original plan would have been. Inside, keep your voice low and be aware that people may be praying.
Making the most of it
Walk the full length of Hope Street between the Metropolitan Cathedral and Liverpool Cathedral, passing the Philharmonic Hall, the Everyman Theatre and some of the city’s best restaurants, and see how different the two buildings are. The Anglican cathedral is Gothic, red and monumental, while this one is round, modern and light. Seeing both takes about half a day with a coffee stop, and is one of the nicest free things to do in Liverpool.
Go in the morning for the light, and finish with lunch in the Georgian Quarter. If you have a camera, the wide steps outside and the view of the lantern from across the square make excellent photographs, and the contrast with the older buildings around Mount Pleasant is part of the charm.
What to expect
The experience
A free visit to a modernist circular cathedral with a central altar, a coloured glass lantern tower and a large crypt.
Best time
A bright morning, when the sun lights the coloured glass of the lantern.
How long
Forty-five minutes to an hour, longer if you combine it with Hope Street.
Tips
Check for services before you go, keep voices low inside and visit the crypt for the story of the original design.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Architecture lovers and anyone who wants a free, memorable stop that is very different from the usual sights.
- Families
- Children are often fascinated by the round shape and the coloured light, and the steps outside are a fun place to sit.
- Couples
- A quiet, beautiful stop on a walk along Hope Street between the two cathedrals.
- Pair with
- Liverpool Cathedral at the other end of Hope Street and dinner in the Georgian Quarter.
- Time needed
- About an hour.
Good questions
Is Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral free to enter?+
Visitors can normally walk in without a ticket and donations are welcome. Check the cathedral’s website for any special events or services that limit access.
Why is it called Paddy’s Wigwam?+
The nickname comes from the cathedral’s circular shape and crown-like lantern. Many locals use it with affection.
Who designed the Metropolitan Cathedral?+
Sir Frederick Gibberd designed the modern circular cathedral, which was completed in the 1960s. Sir Edwin Lutyens designed the earlier scheme, of which only the crypt was built.
How far is it from Liverpool Cathedral?+
The two cathedrals are at opposite ends of Hope Street, about a ten to fifteen minute walk apart. Many visitors see both in one outing.
How do I get to the Metropolitan Cathedral?+
It is at Mount Pleasant, about ten minutes’ walk uphill from Lime Street station. From the waterfront allow around twenty minutes on foot or take a short taxi ride.
