Westminster Abbey was in the spotlight not too long ago when the gorgeous Gothic church played host to the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Will and Kate.  What the more than 2 billion people around the world who watched probably didn’t realize is that the church has been the site of 15 other royal weddings and every coronation since the year 1066.  In addition, some of the most significant people in England’s history are buried here – more than 3,000 to be precise, including 17 monarchs – with many others commemorated throughout Westminster Abbey.   

Why visit?

• The sheer number of notables buried and commemorated here – it’s like a walk through who’s who in English history, from kings and queens to statesmen and soldiers, poets, priests, heroes and villains

• Beautiful architecture inside and out – don’t forget to look up at the ceilings, especially in Henry VII’s lace-like “Lady Chapel”, and be sure to pay a visit to the newly-opened Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries, which offers an incredible and intimate view of the abbey from above

• Tomb of the Unknown Warrior – an unidentified soldier was brought from France after WWI and buried at Westminster Abbey on Armistice Day November 11, 1920 in a tomb that reads, “…they buried him among the kings because he had done good toward God and toward his house” (Kate Middleton gracefully stepped around the tomb as she walked down the aisle)

• The Coronation Chair – made for King Edward I in 1296, the same gold and oak chair has been moved to the altar and used for almost every coronation over the past 700 years

• Comprehensive multimedia guide included in the admission price – you’ll be more than occupied as you follow along with the audio/visual tour and won’t mind that photos aren’t allowed inside Westminster Abbey