Liverpool Anglican Cathedral

The vast, neo-Gothic Liverpool Anglican Cathedral was built into a rocky ridge above the city between 1904 and 1978. It is one of the best sites from which to see Liverpool; from its 331 foot-tall tower, the city, river and North Wales hills are laid out below. The Tower is open daily during the day (except Thurs) so you can witness the view for yourself. Note that it is generally accessed by two consecutive lifts, followed by 108 steps – but there are new lifts to the top making it more accessible.

The deep red sandstone building took seven decades to complete and was built in sections. For pretty much all of that time its architect, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, continued to change the design; he did so right up until his death in 1960.The finished building is nothing like Scott’s original plan, yet despite being built piecemeal this is one cathedral that, architecturally, makes sense. And while it is massive in scale and brooding in tone, Liverpool Cathedral doesn’t fail to create a sense of wonder, the vast internal spaces, many with soaring vaulted ceilings, unified by the carefully-designed furniture and fittings (chosen by Scott). The Liverpool Anglican Cathedral itself is open daily from 8am-6pm, and a small café and shop are contained inside.

The Anglican Cathedral sits on one end of the famous Hope Street, and it is well worth a walk down the street to visit the Metropolitan Cathedral at the other end. A wildly different style of cathedral, the Metropolitan is angular, modern and concrete – a fascinating architectural comparison to its neighbour, the Anglican.. On route to the Metropolitan are many great restaurants, including local favourite The Quarter.