Things to do in Victoria part 2
Get a McFlurry from McDonalds and sit in the Piazza outside Westminster Cathedral (not to be confused with Westminster Abbey one mile away). From here you can watch nuns scurrying about doing Gods errands and tourists gawking at the immense monstrosity. The cathedral is set back from Victoria Street and seems to give unaware pedestrians a genuine shock as they walk past. The Cathedral site was originally wet marsh land around Westminster until it was reclaimed by the Benedictine monks who were the builders and owners of Westminster Abbey. The area was then rented out by the monks as a market and a fairground with a maze as well as a pleasure garden and a ring for bull-baiting. In the 17th century the monks sold the land and a prison was built on the site and was used until 1834. The site was acquired by the Catholic Church in 1884 and The Cathedral Church of Westminster(dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ) was completed in 1903. It was designed in the Early Christian Byzantine style which gives it that weird Moorish/Arabic look. Apparently there is quite a nice cafe down in the crypt but I've never ventured inside. *shudders*
Here's a great view from my office window of the domes of the cathedral and another 'icon' in the background.