I was awestruck with Westminster Abbey. There is so much history buried within this structure, and so much more that took place in and around the abbey. I found it amazing to run my hand over worn-down stone that was thousands of years old. Also, having been an English major in college, I found it fascinating to visit Poet's Corner, where many of my literary heroes are either buried or acknowledged in stone.

The lines and large crowds are other aspects of Westminster Abbey that can be pretty unbelievable, but have patience. It is worth the wait.

The architecture was fabulous! We could not believe we were standing there in the abbey! We were with a tour group, and she took us places we weren't supposed to go.

Unbelievable . . . astounding. What else can I say? A definite must-see, as is St. Paul's. I would suggest taking the Verger Guided Tour which costs about £6, but is well worth it.

Westminster Abbey is a great sight. Its architecture is beautiful and ornate. Unfortunately, by touring with a group, I did not have the opportunity to go inside, but if you have the time and money, I would recommend doing so.

Originally a Benedictine abbey, Westminster Abbey’s the church where all the monarchs of England- since William the Conqueror (in 1066)- have been crowned. It’s nearly a thousand years old, and heavily decorated with carved stone, marble, wood, stained glass, and paintings. It’s really huge- so much so that we got pretty nearly lost in it.

Besides being the place where coronations have been held for the past millennium, Westminster’s also the place where most of England’s kings and queens of England are buried- in heavy, ornate tombs with carved stone statues (usually likenesses of the monarch) lying supine on top. Our tour through the church took us past the tombs of a number of monarchs and their consorts- Anne of Cleves, Elizabeth I, Richard II and Mary Queen of Scots among them. There are lots of other well known personalities, if not monarchs, here too: Lord Milton, David Livingstone, Margaret Beaufort (grandmother of Henry VIII and founder of two Cambridge colleges), Lord Canning, Darwin, James Watt and Robert Browning included. And there are memorials to countless others: Captain Cook, Sir Lawrence Olivier, Clement Attlee and Benjamin Disraeli. Interestingly enough, Oliver Cromwell is also buried in Westminster Abbey, although his head is buried in Sydney Sussex College, Cambridge- a rather gruesome burial!

Westminster Abbey also has a memorial to Walter Raleigh (buried beneath the altar of St Margaret’s, next door), who, among his other achievements, introduced tobacco and potatoes to England. Within the Abbey too is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier , a memorial to the hundreds who died during World War I.

If you’re visiting Westminster, do walk on next door to the church of St Margaret’s , the church attended by the Members of Parliament. It’s a fairly small church, but pretty (it’s undergone massive renovation, having suffered severe damage during World War II). Lord Mountbatten and Sir Winston Churchill had both been married in this church, and their wedding photographs and marriage certificates are on display.