Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey is London’s great stage of state and Royal Church: a soaring Gothic church whose fan‑vaulted Henry VII Lady Chapel, medieval Cosmati pavement and centuries of monuments make history feel close enough to touch. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and Saint Margaret’s Church” since 1987, it’s revered both for its architecture and for its role at the heart of the nation. Almost every English and British monarch has been crowned here since 1066 (beneath the Coronation Chair, near the high altar); great moments have ranged from royal weddings (including The Prince and Princess of Wales in 2011) to national farewells (Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997, the state funeral service for Queen Elizabeth II in 2022) and the Coronation of King Charles III in 2023. The Abbey is also a place of memory: the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior lies in the nave, while Poets’ Corner gathers writers, actors and composers around Geoffrey Chaucer’s tomb.