Westminster Cathedral's striped brick and stone masonry

How do you construct something of this scale without relying on steel? You use an extensive amount of brick. Designed by John Francis Bentley in a 9th-century Christian neo-Byzantine style, Westminster Cathedral stands as a masterpiece of striped masonry. Construction spanned from 1895 to 1903. Sir John Betjeman described it as a masterpiece in striped brick and stone, noting that the good craftsman has no need of steel or concrete.

What was on this land before the Archdiocese of Westminster bought it in 1884? It served as the second Tothill Fields Bridewell prison. Did the project start smoothly? No, it took several false starts before construction finally began in 1895. The funding was raised in memory of Cardinal Wiseman, who died in 1865. The land was acquired by Wiseman's successor, Cardinal Manning, and construction was overseen by Cardinal Vaughan.

Why is the interior still a work in progress over a century later? Because decoration in Byzantine churches is applied rather than integral to the architecture, the decoration of the cathedral was left to subsequent generations. The interior is notable for its rich marble decorations and beautiful, but still incomplete, mosaics. It remains the seat of the Archbishop and the largest Catholic church in England and Wales.

Can you see the marble and the ongoing mosaics today? You can visit the cathedral on Francis Street to see the interior, which received papal visits from Pope John Paul II in 1982 and Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons