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.

As part of our self-initiated walking tour of London, we stopped by the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.

We queued for tickets, and after receiving them from a friendly ticket agent, entered the famous House of God and House of Kings. We opted not to join a guided tour, which cost extra, and instead just walked through with the free brochure, which was more than enough for us. The free brochure does an excellent job of guiding you through the hundreds of cool things that Westminster has to offer. From tombs to thrones, the abbey has enough to make anyone happy.

There are however, several things that you should not miss. If the abbey garden is open, take a stroll through it, there's an excellent view of Parliament from the garden, and since you're once again outside, you can take pictures.

Also, towards the back of the abbey (down the left corridor) there is a little museum with the faux crown jewels that the monarchy "practice" with for their coronations, as well as medieval weaponry and royal clothing. The ladies that run the museum area were eager to offer up tidbits and trivia that just added to the visit.

When you exit the abbey, there's a nice gift shop, but try to shop around before making any definitive purchases... most London gift shops offer similar products, for a variety of prices. Thus, you can probably find it cheaper elsewhere.

For updated prices and hours: www.westminster-abbey.org

Westminster Abbey is, of course, a place of worship, but most tourists go there to look at the graves of the hundreds of famous people who are buried within its walls.

The first part of the abbey was mostly of royalty we didn't know, but there were a few interesting highlights, such as Oliver Cromwell's grave (me: "I'm surprised they allowed him to be buried at Westminster!"), and Mary of Tudor and Elizabeth I interred on opposite sides of a chapel (with a moving plaque on the floor commemorating all those who had died, on both sides, for their conscience and their faith during those violent times). After the bit where most of their tombs belonged to royalty, we arrived at the Poets' Corner, and we got a kick out of identifying the graves of various great writers: Robert Browning, Jane Austen, T. S. Eliot, Geoffrey Chaucer, etc. We also saw Sir Lawrence Olivier's grave. We stopped at an external garden where we took a short breather, then headed back to see more famous graves: Edmund Halley, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin... Near the exit, we lit a candle for the dead and saw the grave of the Unknown Soldier, adorned with flowers, and finally, the grave of Winston Churchill alongside a moving tribute to all those who had died for king and country in the wars.

Photography is not allowed in the Abbey. Its visiting hours are at www.westminster-abbey.org (it is closed to tourists some days when important events are happening). Admission for adults is GBP 10. Services are at 11am and 6:30 pm on Sundays (sung), and 5 pm on Wednesdays (said); there is Holy Communion at 8am everyday and 12:30 pm on weekdays. Matins are at 7:30 am on weedays, 8 am on Saturdays and Sundays, and 9 am on weekday Bank Holidays. Evensong is at 3pm on weekends and at 5 pm on weekdays except Wednesday. Telephone: +44 (207) 2225152.

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.