Overview
Westminster Abbey. Where royal weddings take place, and we pretend we’re part of the action. There’s so much history beyond royal weddings that you could spend an entire day at the Abbey and not see it all. A free audio guide is included with your ticket price, so you can at least try to see everything. If you want a more interactive guided experience, you can book a tour online for an extra fee.
We spent about an hour and a half around the Abbey and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries, but you can go your own pace and spend more or less time. I skipped parts of the audio guide that didn’t interest me as much, so that I could spend more time in other areas. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries are above the Abbey in the 13thcentury triforium, and you’ll have to climb Weston Tower to get there. It’s really worth the extra fee to see all of the other treasures inside the Abbey. The gallery is a timed entry, so you’ll have to know when you plan on visiting.
One of the biggest attractions at the Abbey has to be the coronation chair. It’s been used for over 700, and has a history all its own. It’s located in the nave, and is at the very end of the tour, basically as you’re walking out. If you know your history, then you may have heard of the Stone of Scone, or Stone of Destiny, which should be underneath the coronation chair. In 1996 the stone was returned to Scotland, and will only be taken to Westminster Abbey for future coronations. If you want to see the stone though, you can visit Edinburgh Castle.
How To Get Here
Address: 20 Deans Yd, Westminster, London SW1P 3PA
Underground: Westminster (Jubilee, District & Circle Lines) and St. James’s Park (District and Circle Lines)
Things To Know
- There are NO pictures allowed inside the building.
- To save money, buy your tickets online. You don’t even have to print your voucher you can show your phone.
- If you need help look for an employee in red, or a volunteer in blue.
- Services are open to the public.
- There is an hourly prayer over the speakers.
- Visit the Westminster Abbey website before you go, to plan your visit to maximize your time.
