Viewing and Visiting Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey, located in the heart of London, England, is one of the most iconic and historically significant religious buildings in the United Kingdom. This magnificent Gothic abbey has played a central role in the country’s history, serving as the venue for coronations, royal weddings, and numerous other important events for over a thousand years.

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Since the coronation of William the Conqueror in 1066, Westminster Abbey has been the traditional venue for the coronation of English and later British monarchs.

It has witnessed the crowning ceremonies of numerous kings and queens, making it a symbol of the nation’s monarchy.

No photos are allowed inside, but here’s a glimpse of the outside. The detail of the architecture is astounding.

So many notable people are buried in the church or memorialized. Westminster Abbey is the resting place for monarchs through the centuries. You’ll also find a Poet’s Corner where writers are interred or remembered. These include Geoffrey Chaucer, Robert Browning, Rudyard Kipling, and Alfred Tennyson. Musicians include George Frederick Handel and Ralph Vaughan Williams.

If you are in London, consider touring Westminster Abbey with London Walks. Our guide told us not only about the people memorialized here, but he also had fascinating stories, especially of the ins and outs of the monarchy and their families. People have been dug up and reburied to “reposition” them due to family quarrels. One poor guy was buried standing up because a lengthwise plot in the church was too expensive.

Right next door is a smaller church, St. Margaret’s. Standing between Parliament and Westminster Abbey, this  elegant church has also seen plenty of history. With the end of the war in Europe in 1945, celebrations held in Westminster Abbey spilled over into St. Margaret’s, with members of the House of Commons celebrating here.

You may think that Westminster Abbey is in a green, peaceful countryside. The reality is that traffic zooms by and nothing is serene about the setting. You can look up and there’s Big Ben, though.

But once inside, the church is darkened and quiet. It’s many different areas are rich with history. You can easily imagine Queen Elizabeth making her way down the center aisle in heavy robes to take her place in the coronation chair. And receiving (apparently reluctantly) the weighty crown.

Where I stayed in London

I’m a repeat guest at the boutique Lime Tree Hotel in the Belgravia area of London. The hotel, recently remodeled, gives you elegance and comfort in a former town home. And it’s in an upscale neighborhood but offers reasonable rates. You can easily walk to and from busy Victoria Station and also from convenient Sloan Square station. From these underground stations, you can basically get anywhere you want to go. Also, I’ve walked from the hotel to Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and the Churchill War Rooms.

Add to those plusses a delicious breakfast at the Buttery and a garden out back where you can sit and relax after a hectic day in the city. You are across the street from tempting Peggy Porschen Cakes. For dinner near the Lime Tree, try Sicily Restaurant right around the corner. I’m a repeat customer here, too. The food and atmosphere are perfect.

The Lime Tree Hotel is quite a find!

Check out availability at the Lime Tree Hotel when you’re traveling to London. You will be pleased you did.

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LEARN MORE ABOUT LONDON

Touring the Churchill War Rooms in London

Bletchley Park and the Codebreakers of WWII

The Tower of London

London’s Battle of Britain Monument

Riding High on the London Eye

The Royal Air Force Museum of London