Brompton Oratory, Catholic church building in South Kensington, England.
Brompton Oratory is a Catholic church in South Kensington built from Portland limestone with a neo-classical front facing Brompton Road. Inside, visitors find marble work, metalwork details, and an interior that follows the principles of Italian Baroque design.
Herbert Gribble designed the building, which was consecrated in 1884 after the Oratory community had previously occupied smaller premises. The interior furnishings were added over decades through donations and gifts, including altars and sculptures brought from Italian churches.
The church follows the traditions of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri, a congregation that began in 16th-century Rome and brought its particular approach to worship and community life. Visitors attending services today experience liturgy in Latin, performed according to forms that predate the reforms of the 1960s.
The main entrance sits directly on Brompton Road, a short walk from South Kensington underground station. Visitors can enter outside service times, but should remain mindful of ongoing ceremonies and move quietly through the side aisles.
The marble statues of the twelve apostles originally stood in Siena Cathedral and were brought to London in the 19th century. The building has appeared in several films, with scenes shot inside using the interior as a backdrop for historical settings.
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