Metropolitan Cathedral guide

A cathedral with an unusual backstory

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, universally known by its affectionate local nickname “Paddy’s Wigwam,” is one of the most distinctive religious buildings in Britain — a circular, conical structure topped by a crown-like lantern tower, built between 1962 and 1967 to a design by Frederick Gibberd. The name references both its tent-like shape and Liverpool’s substantial Catholic Irish heritage, and it’s used so widely (including in local tourism material) that many visitors never learn the formal name at all. What most first-time visitors don’t realise is that the cathedral sits directly above an entirely different, much grander building that never got finished.

The Lutyens crypt — the cathedral that almost was

In the 1930s, celebrated architect Edwin Lutyens was commissioned to design a vast domed Catholic cathedral intended to rival St Peter’s Basilica in Rome — a project of enormous ambition for a British city. Construction began, but only the crypt was completed before the Second World War halted work, and by the time post-war reconstruction priorities were weighed, the sheer scale and cost of Lutyens’ full design (which would have been one of the largest cathedrals ever built) proved unaffordable. Rather than abandon the site, the diocese commissioned a smaller, more achievable design from Frederick Gibberd, which became the cathedral standing today — built directly on top of the completed Lutyens crypt. The crypt itself, a paid separate visit for a few pounds, is well worth the detour: it’s an atmospheric, cavernous brick space that gives a genuine sense of the scale Lutyens originally intended, along with a small exhibition on the cathedral’s two-stage construction history.

Inside the current cathedral

The building’s circular plan centres worship around a single altar visible from every seat, a deliberately modern approach to liturgical space compared with the long processional naves of traditional cathedrals. The lantern tower above is filled with abstract stained glass by artists John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens, and the effect on a sunny day is striking — shafts of blue, red, yellow and green light shift across the interior as the sun moves, quite different in character from the more traditional figurative glass found at the Anglican Liverpool Cathedral a short walk away. The building also holds important works of religious art and a set of side chapels worth a slower look if you’re not rushing between the two cathedrals in a single afternoon.

Combining both cathedrals

The Metropolitan Cathedral sits at the northern end of Hope Street; the Anglican Liverpool Cathedral sits at the southern end, roughly 10-15 minutes’ walk apart along a street lined with Georgian townhouses, independent restaurants and the Philharmonic Hall. Visiting both cathedrals in one outing is one of the most popular half-day routes in the city — start at whichever end suits your day’s logistics, and treat the walk itself as part of the sightseeing rather than a gap between two stops. Our Georgian Quarter guide covers the neighbourhood between them, including where to eat along the way.

Guided tours

If you’d like context on both the cathedral’s design and the abandoned Lutyens original woven together by a guide, the Liverpool heritage, history and culture walking tour typically covers the Hope Street cathedral quarter as part of a wider architectural and historical walk through the city centre. For a broader day of sightseeing that includes a stop near the cathedral, the hop-on hop-off bus is a practical option if you’re also covering the waterfront or Anfield the same day.

Practical visiting tips

The main cathedral is free and open daily outside of service times, though as an active place of worship it’s worth checking the schedule before a Sunday visit, when parts of the space may be reserved. The Lutyens crypt has its own separate opening hours that don’t always match the main cathedral’s, so check both before planning a combined visit. Photography is generally allowed in the main space; flash and tripods may be restricted during services. The cathedral sits at one of the higher points in the city centre, so the walk up (particularly from the waterfront) involves a genuine incline — worth knowing if you’re combining this with a full day of walking elsewhere.

Getting there

The Metropolitan Cathedral is about a 15-20 minute walk from Lime Street station, mostly along Mount Pleasant and up toward Hope Street’s northern end. It sits close to Liverpool John Moores University and the Knowledge Quarter, making it easy to combine with a visit to the World Museum or Walker Art Gallery on the same outing.

Frequently asked questions about the Metropolitan Cathedral

Why is the Metropolitan Cathedral called “Paddy’s Wigwam”?

The nickname comes from its distinctive conical, tent-like shape, combined with a nod to Liverpool’s large Catholic Irish community (“Paddy” being an informal, sometimes cheeky term for an Irish person). It was coined affectionately by Liverpudlians shortly after the cathedral opened in 1967 and has stuck ever since, used even in official tourism material despite sounding informal.

Is the Metropolitan Cathedral free to visit?

Yes, the main circular cathedral space above ground is free to enter. The Lutyens crypt beneath the building, part of an abandoned earlier design, has a separate paid entry (typically a few pounds) since it functions partly as a small exhibition and heritage space.

Why does the cathedral look unfinished or different from a typical crypt-topped building?

Because it is, in a sense, a second attempt. Architect Edwin Lutyens designed an enormous domed cathedral in the 1930s intended to rival St Peter’s in Rome, but only the crypt was completed before the Second World War and post-war costs made the full design unaffordable. The current cathedral, designed by Frederick Gibberd and completed in 1967, sits directly on top of that unfinished Lutyens crypt.

How long does a visit take?

30-45 minutes for the main cathedral space, or an hour or more if you also visit the Lutyens crypt, which has more to read and explore than its size initially suggests.

What’s the significance of the stained glass?

The central lantern tower is filled with vividly coloured stained glass by John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens, flooding the circular interior with coloured light that shifts through the day — widely considered one of the most striking modern stained-glass installations in the UK, and very different in tone from the traditional glass at the nearby Anglican cathedral.

Is it connected to the Anglican Liverpool Cathedral?

Only by geography and the shared name “cathedral” — they’re different denominations (this one is Roman Catholic, the other Anglican) built by entirely separate architects and dioceses. They sit at opposite ends of Hope Street, about 10-15 minutes’ walk apart, and visiting both together is a popular half-day route.