Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is a large, mainly Gothic abbey church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United Kingdom's most notable religious buildings and the traditional place of coronation and a burial site for English and, later, British monarchs.
The building itself was originally a Catholic Benedictine monastic church until the monastery was dissolved in 1539. Between 1540 and 1556, the abbey had the status of a cathedral and seat of the Catholic bishop. After 1560 the building was no longer an abbey or a cathedral, after the Catholics had been driven out by King Henry VIII, having instead been granted the status of a Church of England "Royal Peculiar"—a church responsible directly to the sovereign—by Queen Elizabeth I.
Monday | 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM |
Tuesday | 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM |
Wednesday | 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM |
Thursday | 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM |
Friday | 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM |
Saturday | 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM |
Sunday | Closed |
Luke Stroud | Jan 21, 2018
This is such a special landmark in London and it's easy to see why. From the outside it's beautiful and quite imposing, but it's not until you enter the abbey that you truly appreciate the size of it. A good tip is to attend a free service to experience it in all its glory. We signed ourselves up early and got tickets for a Christmas morning service which was a really unique experience. Another tip is to see this beauty lit up for Lumiere London.
Robert Lawson | Dec 18, 2017
I really expected this to be a great visit, but was not prepared to be completely overwhelmed by Westminster Abbey. The place was not packed, but was easily has several hundred people in. The architecture and presence was equal to the great churches in the Vatican. The history and presentation is outstanding. The staff. Wow! Nice, professional, courteous. I really like the fact that every hour they have a short prayer and moment of silence to further establish that this was, is and will be a place of worship, not just some historic site. Fantastic.
Arlyn Gayle | Jan 16, 2018
I loved it and have thoroughly enjoyed the whole audio-guided tour! The experience you gain inside is unique. You will feel amazed at the idea that you are standing in the same spot where many great people have stood. Also, a lot of great people are buried inside such as Darwin, Newton, Bronte, Cromwell and many others.
robert bazzel | Mar 4, 2018
Visit Grants Tomb and the wonderfully opulent grave of Merlin. They say this place is haunted by Jolly Lord Chutney. Generally frowned upon to demand to see the Royal Loincloth of Richard the Endowed. Whole thing is made of plastic. Wonderful example of Lego architecture.
Faisal Chaudhry | Jan 28, 2018
Interesting church and not insanely busy during the off season. Attended a guided tour for an additional £5 which took us some places normally closed off to the public (eg the choir). It's relatively large and you could easily spend several hours, though I wouldn't recommend more than 2. No photos are allowed, and the docents actively enforce that.
rileyc515 | Mar 27, 2018
This was my first trip to London. I traveled from Texas to London for one day to spend it with my daughter on her birthday. She was doing a semester abroad. While she was in class, I had a bunch of time to kill. I wanted to take in as many sights as I could in the allotted time that I had. I had mapped out the optimal route of the things I had to see. And Westminster Abbey was on that list as well as on my route. I didn’t have time to go inside to take a look around like I did at Westminster Cathedral. But I made sure I walked around the grounds and admired the beautiful architecture. You don’t have to be a religious person to admire and respect such a glorious piece history. The earliest known recordings of the abbey date back to around the late 960’s to early 970’s. Since King Henry and William the Conqueror had their coronations at the abbey in 1066, every English and British Monarch had their coronation there as well. (Except Edward V and VII, who were never crowned) The Abbey has so much history it would be very difficult to put it all here. I highly recommend the next time you are in London, more specifically Westminster. Be sure to stop by and visit Westminster Abbey. As I said, you don’t have to be religious to respect the beauty of this church. In my opinion, you will not be disappointed.
Rebecca Herrera | Mar 23, 2018
We went here when spending 4.5 days in London. We loved it. The audio tour was included in the entrance cost and again, it was worth it for sure. We like the go at your own pace style of the audio tours in general. My favorite spot is the tomb of the unknown soldier! There is plenty to see here and we spent 2 hours. We even got to sit through one of the hourly prayers. It’s quite a beautiful place and seeing the coronation chair was very cool!! Be respectful please. No pictures inside!!
Airbabe Productions | Mar 24, 2018
Wow! This has sure made my London experience outstanding! The staff is extremely friendly and just the culture of the church of the commonwealth is welcoming! There is so much ancient history with the abbey! And the best part is that there are self guided tours with headsets, so you are quiet and respectful to others.
Sabrina Gell | Apr 28, 2018
I'm sad that I couldn't take pictures here. This place was beyond beautiful. To see the rooms of so many important figures in history is just incredible. The audio guide was very well done. Everything was marked clearly, and you could listen to scrap sections or just what you wanted to. If you get the chance to go, you should.
Jane castle | May 6, 2018
Like to see the image of Christ sitting in majesty above the western doorway. Also St. George on the top of pillar in front of the Western front.....main entrance for daily services. My two favourite views. But don't forget there us the Eastern view.
Brad Campbell | May 3, 2018
Absolutely beautiful. Listen to the smooth voice of Jeremy Irons as you drift your way through the amazing architecture and chapels. Hall of Poets is highlight for those not overly religious.
Steve Evans | Jun 6, 2018
It was interesting. Beautiful place. Lots of tombs of famous dead folks. Reasonably priced. Saw it all in about an hour including the gift shop. Worth doing...
Jessica Sinclair | May 20, 2018
Atmospheric mahoosive gloriously stone carved building steeped in history. Filled with monuments to Britain's great and powerful citizens of a bygone age. I especially like the cloisters with the beautiful stained glass window of St Francis and the fountain courtyard with the doors opening into the garden and another onto the ruins of the previous building
WEI LUN HUNG | Jun 5, 2018
One of the best historical spot in London! The ticket of 20 pounds is a little expensive and you would never regret to visit Westminster Abbey. I would like to pay 100 pound if I could take picture here. Amazing place!
Ant M | Jul 5, 2018
An absorbing journey back in time. I had no idea so many kings and queens were buried here. The abbey is filled with tombs, memorials and statues of royalty, nobility, and notable scholars and poets. The architecture is spectacular. The abbey tours close at 3.30, but most services are open to the public. Evensong takes place at 5.00 (queue from 4.30) which features the abbey choir.
Dean Horler | Jun 13, 2018
A great day out. Fantastic place, bursting to the seams with history. The newly opened QE Diamond Jubilee Gallery is the best five pounds I ever spent. Such a calm tranquil place full of interesting artifacts. See a corset worn by Elizabeth 1st, a hat worn by Nelson. Many and varied funeral effigies. This place must be visited. The staff are wonderful too!!! Sorry no photo attached - very strict about that - no photography allowed.
Cassandra Y. | Jul 8, 2018
The building exterior was under construction/renovation. Didn't tour the interior. There was long line waiting. The building/architecture is beautiful. The detail of the work is very impressive!! I heard no picture is allowed inside. And purchase your ticket in advance to avoid waiting in line to get the tickets. There are many things to see in that area so prepared at least whole day there. Please wear comfortable shoes because lots of walking in London
Alpesh G | Jun 24, 2018
Very beautiful place in the heart of Westminster, London. Easily accessible by public transport. Nearest stop is Westminster Station. Great place to take photos. Nice areas to sit outside too on the grass. Hours are only too 3pm so even on weekend visit before this otherwise there's no entry. House of Parliament is just around the corner to this.
Agustin Farias | Jul 6, 2018
Love the self guided tours..lots of history to absorb. A must stop in London. They have done a great job with the self guided audio tours to explain the stories of all the royalty buried there. Quite a lot to absorb so use them. When we were there they were getting ready to place Stephen Hawking's remains next to Newton's and Darwin's. Don't miss that spot!
David Kump | Aug 7, 2018
One of the best attractions in London. The lines are long, so go early and buy your pass online. If you buy directly ahead of time, you can skip the long line. The London Pass does not allow you to skip the line. Once inside, it's an audio tour. The device was a little awkward to use, but it was very informative. There's lots of history as a chapel and burial location for famous people. The architecture is amazing.
Ohin Haque | Aug 3, 2018
One of the most famous churches in the country, the gothic style Westminster Abbey has been the traditional place of the coronation and burial of British monarchs. It’s actually not technically an Abbey, but a ‘Royal Peculiar’, which is a church responsible to the sovereign. Take a visit to Westminster Abbey and marvel at the majestic detailed interior carvings and tapestries; it is very easy to imagine somebody becoming a King or Queen here!
Noah Dicen | Jul 21, 2018
Great experience. Got to see a lot of famous Britains buried here such as William Wilberforce, Isaac Newton, Stephen Hawking, Charles Dickens, George Handel, many of Great Britain's kings buried during the middle ages just to name a few. The architecture is magnificent. Minus 1 star because you can't take photos inside. Also you should buy your tickets online because they'll let you right in.
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