Westminster Abbey

When you walk through the gates of Westminster Abbey, a centuries-old church at the heart of London’s political and spiritual life. Also known as the Collegiate Church of St Peter, it’s where monarchs are crowned, politicians are memorialized, and ordinary people have stood in awe for nearly 1,000 years. This isn’t just a tourist stop—it’s the beating heart of British tradition.

Westminster Abbey encompasses Gothic architecture, a style defined by soaring arches, stained glass, and stone carvings that seem to reach toward heaven, and it’s one of the finest examples in the world. Its nave, built in the 13th century under Henry III, still stands as a masterpiece of vertical design. Nearby, the Poets’ Corner, a section dedicated to writers, poets, and playwrights buried or memorialized here holds the names of Chaucer, Dickens, Austen, and Shakespeare—none of whom are buried here, but all of whom are honored. The Abbey doesn’t just hold history; it actively remembers it.

It’s also where royal coronations, the sacred ceremonies that begin each new reign take place. Every monarch since William the Conqueror in 1066 has been crowned here. You can walk the same floor where Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in 1953, or stand where Prince William and Kate Middleton exchanged vows in 2011. The Abbey doesn’t just witness history—it shapes it.

Beneath its floor lie over 3,300 people, from kings and queens to scientists, soldiers, and artists. Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and Stephen Hawking rest here—not because they were royalty, but because their work changed the world. The Abbey’s power isn’t just in its stone or its rituals; it’s in who it chooses to honor.

Visiting isn’t just about seeing a building. It’s about understanding how a single place can hold the weight of a nation’s identity. You’ll see the Coronation Chair, the Shrine of St Edward the Confessor, the intricate cloisters, and the tombs that tell stories no textbook can. There’s no other place in London where power, faith, art, and death come together so visibly.

What you’ll find in the posts below are real, practical guides to visiting Westminster Abbey—how to get the best views, when to skip the crowds, what to look for that most tourists miss, and how to understand its stories without needing a history degree. Whether you’re planning your first trip or you’ve walked past it a dozen times and never gone in, these posts will show you why this place still matters.