Westminster Abbey, London

Westminster Abbey, London

Westminster Abbey is the traditional coronation, wedding and burial church of Royalty, with a thousand year old history dating back to 10th century Benedictine monks.

Westminster Abbey is the traditional coronation, wedding and burial church of Royalty, with a thousand year old history dating back to 10th century Benedictine monks. It is also the burial site of Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens, Lord Tennyson and seventeen monarchs among 3000 other people with significant contribution to British society. The present church, started by Henry III in 1245, is one of the most important Early English Gothic buildings in Britain, and retains the medieval shrine of an Anglo-Saxon saint at its heart. It is not a cathedral, and is administered by the monarch. The Westminster Abbey is not only historically significant, but also houses a splendid collection of art ranging from paintings and stained glass to textiles and other artifacts. The wall paintings in the south transept from the late 13th century - the 6-foot figure of St Faith in her chapel and the figures of Christ with St Thomas and St Christopher in the chapel of St Blaise. The octagonal Chapter House, built in a Geometrical Gothic style above an octagonal has some significant paintings from the Middle Ages. The series of 14th century paintings of the Last Judgement (on the east wall) and the Apocalypse here are comprehensive. The Library and Muniment Room houses the collection of archives on the Abbey's long and varied history. The Westminster Abbey has a ring of 10 bells, which are rung on major church festivals, Royal anniversaries, special events and services, and the full peal of 5000 sequences is played out on major occasions. You can attend the church service and enjoy some of the finest choral music in London from the choir. Evensong at 4PM or 5PM, depending on the season, is good to attend. The Westminster Abbey is located in the heart of London, near the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. To reach the Abbey, you can walk from the Westminster or St James Park tube stations.