English monarchs have been crowned here since 1066, and almost every corner tells a piece of the nation’s history. Particularly impressive are the fan vaulting of Henry VII’s Lady Chapel, the Coronation Chair and the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior just inside the entrance, which no one may walk over. The audio guide is included in the ticket and helps you keep your bearings. Evensong lets you experience the church with its choir and without an admission fee.
Background
Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British monarchs and a burial site for 18 English, Scottish, and British monarchs. At least 16 royal weddings have taken place at the abbey since 1100.
Although the origins of the church are obscure, an abbey housing Benedictine monks was on the site by the mid-10th century. The church got its first large building from the 1040s, commissioned by King Edward the Confessor, who is buried inside. Construction of the present church began in 1245 on the orders of Henry III. The monastery was dissolved in 1559, and the church was made a royal peculiar – a Church of England church, accountable directly to the sovereign – by Elizabeth I.
From Wikipedia: “Westminster Abbey”, licence CC BY-SA 4.0
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