The Cathedral Church of St Peter in Westminster, better known as Westminster Abbey, is the traditional coronation and burial place of the kings of Great Britain.
History of construction
According to legend, the first church was founded on the spot where a fisherman had a vision of St Peter. Since then, the abbey has received salmon every year as a gift from the London Fishermen's Guild. In 960-970, St Dunstan, with the support of King Edgar, founded a Benedictine monastery on the site.
Between 1042 and 1052, Edward the Confessor began the reconstruction of St Peter's Abbey, as a church was needed to serve as a royal tomb. The cathedral was consecrated on 28 December 1065, just a week before Edward's death. He was buried in the cathedral, and nine years later his wife Edythe was buried beside him. His successor Harold II was probably crowned in the same cathedral, although records survive only of William the Conqueror's coronation in 1066. The only depiction of the cathedral from those times is a tapestry from Bayeux.
Construction of the church in its present form began in 1245 under Henry III, who decided to honour the memory of Edward the Confessor with the highest Gothic nave in England, and at the same time chose the cathedral as his tomb. Construction continued for another three hundred years. The abbey had great political and economic influence, second only to Glastonbury in terms of income. Henry VIII granted the Abbey cathedral status, which saved Westminster from destruction and ruin. The cathedral had the status of a cathedral only until 1550, and, apparently, it was at this time in England there was a saying "rob Peter to pay Paul" - the money intended for Westminster Abbey went to the treasury of St Paul's Cathedral in London.
The two west towers were added to the cathedral between 1722 and 1745, and are a fine example of Neo-Gothic architecture.
The main cathedral of the British realm
Apart from coronations, Westminster Abbey is a traditional venue for royal weddings, but only two reigning monarchs, Henry I and Richard II, were married here. More recently, Prince William Duke of Cambridge married Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey.
Westminster Abbey serves as a burial ground for many of Britain's famous people. Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Geoffrey Chaucer, Robert Burns, Lord Byron, Charles Dickens, John Keats, the Brontë sisters and many others are buried here.
In the interior of the cathedral, the mosaic floors by Cosmati from the 13th century, the coronation throne of St Edward and the frescoes of the cathedral, which date from the late 13th century, attract attention.
On a side note
- Location: 20 Deans Yard, London.
- Nearest underground stations: 'Westminster', 'St James's Park'
- Official website: http://www.westminster-abbey.org
- Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday - from 9.30 to 16.30. Wednesday - from 9.30 to 19.00. Saturday - from 9.30 to 14.30. Sunday - only services for the faithful.
- Tickets: for adults - 16 f.p.s., for students and people over 60 - 13 f.p.s., for children 11-18 - 6 f.p.s., children under 11, wheelchair users and accompanying persons - free of charge. Entry to the museum, garden and St Margaret's Church is free.
