Liverpool Cathedral (Anglican), Liverpool

This cathedral is the destination of a one-day pilgrimage route starting at a Bronze Age monolith seven miles away and taking in the city’s Roman Catholic cathedral

Highlights

• ‍‍Longest cathedral in the world
• Artworks and icons both ancient and modern

There is no doubt that this cathedral matters to Liverpool. It dominates not just the city around it but also the rest of Britain’s churches too, being the largest cathedral in the land, and indeed the longest cathedral anywhere in the world – bearing in mind that St Peter’s in Rome is technically categorized as a basilica.

Liverpool first gained a bishop in 1880, but the cathedral clearly required some years before it reached its present size, work finally concluding with a dedication service in October 1978. In a pleasing show of cooperation, the service was conducted in part by the local Roman Catholic bishop, whose cathedral is described opposite.

The cathedral is dedicated to the Risen Christ. As the ecumenical nature of its dedication service demonstrates, theological differences are nothing new in Christianity. But they took concrete form in the design of this interior, with different factions fretting over the extent to which it was overly traditional and hence Catholic, or too sparsely modern and hence Evangelical. In the end, a lack of funds required a simpler end to the construction project, the overall outcome offering a richly designed tapestry with the meticulously decorated Lady Chapel contrasting with the elegant simplicity of the nave. This chapel also houses a 15th-century Madonna sculpture, now accompanied by an infant Jesus that was created in 2003.

It is such devotional art that draws pilgrims to visit this cathedral. The first to catch the eye is The Welcoming Christ, a bronze sculpture by Elisabeth Frink that sits above the west door to usher visitors into the building. Inside, traditional artworks are well represented by icons, including a copy of Andrei Rublev’s Trinity icon at the entrance to the baptistery.

At the other end of the creative spectrum, the artist Tracey Emin has installed a neon sign, pronouncing in bright pink handwriting, “I felt you and I knew you loved me.” More recently still, her delicate sculpture of a bronze sparrow sitting atop a pole is displayed outside the oratory chapel, a nod to the famous Liver birds which appear on the city’s coat of arms. Its small scale contrasts surprisingly well with the cathedral’s imposing bulk.

Directions

Liverpool Cathedral, St James’ Mount, Liverpool L1 7AZ‍

www.liverpoolcathedral.org.uk‍

W3W: roofs.wisely.hung

GPS: 53.3975N 2.9734W‍

The cathedral is not hard to spot from the city center and is free to enter, with tickets required to climb the monumental tower. It is open every day from 8 am to 6 pm.