Places of worship in six British cities

London

• Westminster Abbey (official site, opens in new tab) Church of England
  A working royal church as well as a sight. It says everyone is welcome at its services, free of charge; sightseeing is ticketed.^[1]
• Westminster Cathedral (official site, opens in new tab) Roman Catholic
  Catholic cathedral with an active parish; its site invites visitors in.^[2]
• London Central Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre (official site, opens in new tab) Muslim
  Mosque and cultural centre with education and interfaith work.^[3]
• East London Mosque (official site, opens in new tab) Muslim
  Large mosque and community centre; prayer times and services on its site.^[4]
• Bevis Marks Synagogue (official site, opens in new tab) Jewish (Sephardi)
  Its summer 2026 update said it was closed to general visitors during building work, open for some services, and hoped to reopen for visitors before the end of 2026. Check before you go.^[5]
• BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Neasden Temple) (official site, opens in new tab) Hindu
  Its visitor information says entry is free and gives opening hours.^[6]
• Sri Guru Singh Sabha Southall (official site, opens in new tab) Sikh
  Large gurdwara. Visitors cover their head (scarves are available at the entrance) and remove shoes before the prayer hall.^[7]
• The London Buddhist Vihara (official site, opens in new tab) Buddhist
  Buddhist vihara in Chiswick founded by a Sri Lankan trust.^[8]

Plan the rest: our London guide.

Birmingham

• Birmingham Cathedral (official site, opens in new tab) Church of England
  Open daily; free to come in during general visiting times and to attend services.^[9]
• St Chad’s Cathedral (official site, opens in new tab) Roman Catholic
  Mother church of the Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham.^[10]
• Birmingham Central Mosque (official site, opens in new tab) Muslim
  Contact details and prayer information on its site.^[11]
• Birmingham Hebrew Congregation (Singers Hill) (official site, opens in new tab) Jewish
  Synagogue on Ellis Street; contact the office about services and visits.^[12]

Manchester

• Manchester Cathedral (official site, opens in new tab) Church of England
  Services through the week and on Sundays, with choral music; visitors welcome.^[13]
• Manchester Jewish Museum (official site, opens in new tab) Jewish heritage
  A museum rather than a working synagogue. It can be busy with school groups on weekdays; check opening days first.^[14]

Plan the rest: our Manchester guide.

Glasgow

• Glasgow Cathedral (official site, opens in new tab) Church of Scotland
  Cared for by Historic Environment Scotland and still a working church, so opening hours can change for services and events.^[15]
• Glasgow Central Mosque (official site, opens in new tab) Muslim
  Describes itself as Scotland’s largest and first purpose-built mosque, and offers mosque tours.^[16]

Plan the rest: our Glasgow guide.

Liverpool

• Liverpool Cathedral (official site, opens in new tab) Church of England
  Daily services, such as morning prayer and a midday eucharist, are listed on its home page.^[17]
• Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King (official site, opens in new tab) Roman Catholic
  Grade I listed Catholic cathedral; opening hours on its site.^[18]
• Princes Road Synagogue (official site, opens in new tab) Jewish
  Visitors are welcome but, for security, are asked to contact the office by email first. Shabbat morning services are held weekly.^[19]
• Abdullah Quilliam Mosque and Heritage Centre (official site, opens in new tab) Muslim
  The society is restoring and expanding England’s first mosque, established in 1889, as a mosque and national heritage centre.^[20]

Plan the rest: our Liverpool guide.

Edinburgh

• St Giles’ Cathedral (official site, opens in new tab) Church of Scotland
  Sunday services at 9:30am and 11am, as its site gave them when we read it.^[21]
• St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral (official site, opens in new tab) Scottish Episcopal
  Services every day, six a week led by the cathedral choir.^[22]
• Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation (official site, opens in new tab) Jewish (modern orthodox)
  Welcomes visitors to services; first-time visitors are asked to fill in a visitors form beforehand.^[23]

Plan the rest: our Edinburgh guide.

Questions

Can visitors attend services?

Most places on this page say visitors are welcome at services. Some synagogues ask you to contact them first for security reasons, and some sights charge for sightseeing but not for worship. Check the place’s own site.

What should I wear to visit a gurdwara, mosque or temple?

Follow the place’s own guidance. Sri Guru Singh Sabha Southall, for example, asks visitors to cover their head and remove their shoes before entering the prayer hall, and provides head coverings at the entrance.