Westminster Cathedral – the main Catholic Church in England and Wales. For centuries, Catholics in a Protestant country endured great trials, but today the neo-Byzantine Cathedral with devyanostoletiem bell tower-the bell tower stands in the heart of London, on Victoria street in the heart of Westminster.

By British standards, the Cathedral young. The land under it, the Archbishop of Westminster, cardinal manning acquired in 1884, build by architect John Francis Bentley began in 1895. For Bentley, the Cathedral became the main business of life: in developing the project, young master even went to Italy to study Byzantine Basilica of San Marco in Venice. The architect died a year before construction is completed. The Cathedral opened its doors in 1903, but was only consecrated in 1910.

The building is huge: it takes more than five thousand square meters, the internal height of the main dome is 33 meters. Dome formed of concrete, walls and powerful buttresses – red brick. John Bentley died before he could leave projects and sketches of the interior of the temple. In the subsequent history of the Cathedral was such that in its interior the main place was occupied by mosaic, a phenomenon very rare for Britain. In the chapel of our lady of experienced artist Gertrude Martin, Anning bell created a mosaic of "Christ in glory" above the main entrance.

Attract the attention of Russian master mosaic by Boris Anrep, depicting the first miracle in Cana of Galilee, the sacrifice of Abel, Abraham's hospitality, the gathering of manna in the wilderness. Anrep was the lover of Anna Akhmatova and in 1917 warned her, going to England: "it Will be the same thing that happened in France during the great revolution, it will be, maybe worse." That's about it famous poem "I heard a voice. He called wasno...". Akhmatova remained in Russia on the mountain and baiting. Anrep made in England recognition and captures the image of the one that left, in the mosaic "Compassion" in the National gallery. The woman with the characteristic "Akhmatova" bangs lies in the ruins of the city (possible, Leningrad), down to her protecting her angel.

Performed many masters finish "the mother of the Catholic churches of Britain strikes here sparkle inlaid marble, pearls, gold, lapis lazuli. Tourists can also take the Elevator to the top of the Campanile, offering amazing views of the nearby Palace of Westminster, Queen Victoria memorial, Trafalgar square.

In 1977 Westminster Cathedral was visited by Queen Elizabeth II – it was the first visit of a British monarch to the Catholic Church from the time of the Anglican reformation. In 1995 the Queen here for the first time took part in Catholic Liturgy.