LONDON WEEKEND BREAKS - Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey remains one of the most popular and inspiring buildings in London and it receives hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

The original Westminster Abbey was a monastery built for, and used by, monks of the Benedictine order. More significantly though, it has been the site of every royal coronation from the Norman King, William the Conqueror, to the current monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.

Westminster Abbey also acts as the final resting place for many of the Royals and their connected associates and it still famously hosts state events like funerals and televised weddings.

Despite Westminster Abbey’s associations with large scale religious events, the Abbey is still a functional place of worship and daily communion services are still held there.

From Monastery to Abbey

The original function of Westminster Abbey changed when King Henry VIII dissolved its use as an abbey in 1540.

At this time he instructed that alterations, changes and additions be made, and this prompted the first of many monarch inspired refurbishments and alterations. The most recent changes to the building were made in the sixteenth century by Sir Christopher Wren, the designer of St. Pauls Cathedral.

What to see

Westminster Abbey has a stunning external facade whilst within it possesses some of the most ornate and decorative ceiling vaulting of its time. The complete building represents the work of the finest craftsmen from stone masons to carpenters and it continuously entices you to take photographs.

Westminster Abbey has plenty for the tourists to see, starting with the Tomb of the unknown warrior. This symbolic tomb represents and celebrates the bravery of approximately three quarters of a million British soldiers who died, or went missing, during the Great War.

The Sanctuary is where the royal coronations take place and this will be familiar to anyone who has witnessed a royal wedding through the magic of TV.

The Henry VII chapel and the Westminster Abbey museum are popular with tourists and it is here that you can see many collections and replicas of armour and clothing, along with symbolic artefacts used during the many coronations.

Location and entry

Admission to Westminster Abbey is free and the Westminster tube station is only a short walk away. The Abbey is almost opposite Palace of Westminster.