Situated next to the Houses of Parliament on the site of a former Benedictine monastery, the Westminster Abbey has for ages been a site for coronations and other royal events of importance. And every British monarch, starting with William the Conqueror and with the sole exceptions of Edward V and Edward VIII, were crowned inside its walls.

As is the case with any important monument, Westminster Abbey is surrounded with legends. In particular, it is said that a church once stood there (built by Saberht, the first openly Christian king of the East Saxon tribes) that was consecrated by St. Peter through a miracle. The place was then called Thorney – a small island in the middle of the river Thames – but became known as West Monastery, or minister. It has been re-founded and re-constructed several times, until it had been formally proclaimed as the Collegiate Church of St. Peter in Westminster in 1560.

Architecturally, the Abbey is predominantly a Gothic building, although it was built in stages:

- The traces and beginnings of the early English Gothic are still to be found in the stones, put there in the times of Edward the Confessor.
- During the reign of King Henry III, ite was the peak of typical early English Gothic and thus it became the predominant architectural feature of the Abbey, notwithstanding the fact that the king had failed to finish the work, and thus space was found for later styles and generations.
- 1338 was the year when the French Gothic style penetrated the builders’ plans with the construction of the imposing nave.
- One of the most magnificent parts - the Chapel of Henry VII - was added even later in 1519 and follows in a perpendicular Gothic style.

You should allow at least a couple of hours if you want to get well-acquainted with Westminster Abbey both on the inside and on the outside, read the inscriptions, take some inspiring photos, etc. The Abbey has a rather complex system of opening hours, the most important being these:

- The Westminster Abbey is open from 9am till 4:45pm each weekday and closes at 2:45 on Saturdays. Tickets are sold up to 1 hour before closing time and are likely to cost you up to $15, depending on which visitor category you fit into.
- Chapter House is open from 9:30am till 5:30pm in the high tourist season but closes at 4pm in other months.
- Pyx Chamber and the Undercroft Museum are open daily starting at 10am and closing at 4:30pm. Entrance costs about $7 to $8 with Chapter House or just a couple if you are also visiting the Abbey itself.
- The College Gardens can be visited from Tuesday to Thursday starting at 10am as well, but closing at 6 pm during high season (otherwise, it’s 4pm). The gardens are free to see.
- The Cloisters are open from 8am till 6pm daily, and admission there is free of charge.

The House of God and Kings, an enduring symbol of the history of England. Within these walls are buried kings and poets, rulers of the hearts and minds of men. Almost a thousand years of history are centered on or around this place, and the sense of it is overwhelming, from the moment you first lay eyes on the church to the moment you set foot back outside.

Since 1066, every Coronation of every Monarch of the British Empire has taken place within this church. It has witnessed the ups and downs of the Empire and weathered it all. The sights within are astonishing - endless tombs of famous monarchs, architectural astonishments, and history itself.

Some of the highlights within:
The Building Itself: A truly inspirational example of High Gothic architecture at its best, as the nave and vaulted arch ceiling can leave one breathless.
The Coronation Chair: The chair upon which every ruler of Britain and beyond for a thousand years has been coronated.
The Poets Corner: From Geoffrey Chaucer, to a monument to Shakespeare, the bedrock of the English language found their peace here.
The Stained Glass: The windows here are stunning. Take them all in slowly - don't dash around from one to the other.
Do note that photography, flash or no, is not allowed inside, and they MEAN it - I tried to sneak a shot of the ceiling in the nave and nearly got booted on the street, and my camera has no flash and a nearly silent shutter. I had to put it in my backpack, and then was watched like a hawk the whole rest of the time.
In a week spent in London, Westminster left the most indelible impression on me. Truly an awe-inspiring trip.

A trip to London would be incomplete without seeing the grandiose and spectacular Westminster Abbey. This church is closing is on a thousand years since it was first built on the grounds of an older shrine that was established in the early 7th century. The modern Abbey, officially called the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, was built between 1045 and 1065 by Edward the Confessor. And after the conquest of Britain by William the Conqueror in 1066, the Abbey has been the site of every coronation up to the modern time.

Walking through the Abbey is an interesting experience. Despite its function as a church with daily services, it is also a place where the lines of monarchs and other distinguished people are buried.

After entering through the North Entrance doors, you wind your way through the Abbey. In addition to the tombs and shrines, there is also a small museum that contains royal and funeral effigies, medieval glass. Nearby is the coronation chair that has been used for coronations since the time of King Edward I in 1296.

Continuing around the Abbey are other chambers and rooms that are interesting to spend time in. Also, within the grounds are the College Gardens that have been under continuous cultivation for the past 900 years.

Overall, Westminster Abbey is an historical icon. From the gothic architecture to the long line of nobles buried within its walls. I would certainly recommend seeing this place while visiting London.

You can get to the Abbey by Underground on the District or Circle Line to St. James Park or on the Jubilee & Circle Line to Westminster. The Abbey is also not open to tourists on Sundays since that is reserved only for worshipping services. And finally, the Abbey closes by mid afternoon on most days, so plan your trip to it accordingly.

Westminster Abbey is one of the most famous and historic churches in the world. It is gorgeous and very impressive! There has been a church at this site since at least the 6th Century and is where British Monarchs have been coroneted since 1066. Most of the building today dates from the 13 and 14th centuries and the twin, west towers were built in the 18th century. Edward the Confessor was the first King to be buried here. Since then many rulers and members of the Royal family have also been buried here. The Nave, near the West entrance, is breathtaking with French Gothic style vaulting, painted and gilded structures and crystal chandeliers. The choir is in Victorian Gothic style. Here men and boys sing the daily services - which are open to the public, I recommend the Evensong, at approx. 6:60 pm. Line (cue) up early to make sure you have a place to sit during the summer months, it is considerably less crowded in the winter. Along with visiting the numerous tombs for past monarchs, make sure you see Poet's Corner where many poets and writers have either been buried or honored with a memorial. A few names to be found here are Chaucer, Shakespeare, Jane Austin, the Bronte sisters, T.S. Eliot and Burns, just to name a few. Westminster is across the street from Big Ben and Westminster Hall (parliament) and a very short walk from St James Park. Most of the abbey and church are free, some rooms/halls request a small donation. There is of course a gift/book shop.

We took the Westminster by Gaslight Walking Tour in London. We originally needed something to do before waiting for our overnight train to Scotland, and this seemed to be perfect. It was on one the few nights that was chilly, but the walking helped keep us warm.

The tour guide had a portable speaker system that amplified her voice just enough to be heard in the back of the crowd. There is no need to reserve a spot for the tour; simply choose a tour and show up. And the London Pass even gives you a discount on the price.

For just over 2 hours, we walked around Westminster. We saw churches and some of the houses that were used as bomb shelters during the air raids of WWII. We walked over the Thames in order to see parliament from far away and heard how Big Ben is actually the bell inside the tower, not the clock, as many believe.

We also walked next to parliament and heard about the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and a little about how the House of Lords is currently changing its structure.

The tour was very informative, although more political than some of the others we went on in London. If you’re not up to walking a great distance, this tour is definitely not for you. But if you don’t mind the walking, then grab a cup of hot chocolate and put on your tennis shoes.