Westminster Abbey

Overview

Westminster Abbey is a vast, impossibly complex Gothic masterpiece. For 1,000 years, this atmospheric church has served officially as the coronation site and resting place for the monarchs of England.

Highlights

• Poets' Corner: The atmospheric, incredibly crowded south transept filled with the tombs and memorials of literature's greatest giants, including Chaucer, Dickens, and Hardy.
• The Coronation Chair: The severely ancient, battered 13th-century wooden chair upon which nearly every single British monarch has been officially, powerfully crowned.
• The Royal Tombs: Explore the spectacularly ornate, carved marble effigies of legendary figures like Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots, and Henry V.

History

Founded by Edward the Confessor in 1065 just before the Norman Conquest. In the 13th century, King Henry III ordered a massive, incredibly expensive reconstruction in the soaring new Gothic style pulling from French cathedral architecture, creating the high, sharply pointed vaults we see today.

Visitor Tips

• Verger Tours: Booking the slightly extra, detailed 90-minute Verger Tour grants you exclusive access into the restricted Confessor's Shrine behind the high altar.
• Evensong: To experience the massive, soaring acoustics free of charge, attend the beautiful, atmospheric daily Choral Evensong service at 5:00 PM.
• Duration: 1.5–2 hours.