Coventry Cathedral: The underrated UK tourist attraction that is emotionally powerful - and boasts world-class art
I think Coventry Cathedral is an underrated tourist attraction in the UK.
I live in Coventry, so of course I might be biased, but honestly every time I visit Coventry Cathedral I am blown away by it. Not only is it an emotional site, but the architecture of the new Cathedral is stunning and you have the juxtaposition of the Old Cathedral right next to it.
Coventry's Old Cathedral (St. Michael's) was bombed and largely destroyed by the Germans November 14, 1940, during the devastating Coventry Blitz. If you visit the new Coventry Cathedral today you can visit the reamins of the old one.
The Old Cathedral stands today as a powerful symbol of war and peace next to the new cathedral. It is a sight to behold, and I think it is a pretty underrated tourist attraction.
Tourists are more inclined to visit the likes of York Minster and St Paul’s - often forgetting the Midlands. But the Old Cathedral is one of the most powerful 20th-century religious sites in Europe.
The contrast between the charred ruins and the soaring new building is incredibly moving. The New Cathedral also boasts world-class art that most people have never heard of including John Piper’s baptistry window which is one of the largest single stained-glass works in the UK.
There is also Jacob Epstein’s St Michael and the Devil sculpture on the exterior wall and John Hutton’s stunning engraved glass angels screen. I think it is an important, and visually stunning site to visit. It is often overlooked, but you won’t be disappointed when you go and see it for yourself.