Westminster Cathedral

You are approaching a building that defies the typical expectations of London architecture. While most of the city’s landmarks lean toward Gothic spires or classical columns, Westminster Cathedral commands attention with a striking, Neo-Byzantine design of red-and-white striped brick. Its distinct profile, complete with a massive 284-foot campanile tower, was intentionally crafted to look different from the nearby Westminster Abbey. The architect, John Francis Bentley, chose this Eastern-inspired style to avoid direct competition with the established Gothic aesthetic of the city’s older, Anglican-aligned monuments.