Liverpool - The Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King

From outside this catholic cathedral looks like an industrial complex. The building, designed by Frederick Gibberd, is made of concrete, and has an unusual circular design. It is topped with spikes that represent the crowne of thorn worn by Jesus. Anyhow, the inside of the building is quite impressive.
The best of it though was the cafe of the cathedral Piazza - since week I had not had such a delicious salad :)

The idea of building a catholic cathedral had been mooted since the 1850s.
At least the Foundation Stone was laid on Whit Monday, 5 June 1933. This Cathedral was meant to become even bigger then St Paul´s Cathedral in Rome.

The Cathedral construction started with the Crypt. Work proceeded steadily until the outbreak of war in 1939. The departure of building workers to war, and the shortage of materials, then caused work to come to a virtual standstill. In 1941 only one apprentice was left working on the site.

The completed sections of the Crypt were used as air raid shelters. After the war there was a growing realisation that the original plans of the church was too vast and unachievable. In the years from 1962 to 1967 a new version was built in concrete, using only a part of the original space. The Crypt still has its original size.