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Westminster Abbey
This coronation church is officially named “The Collegiate Church of St. Peter at Westminster”. It is devoted to the Holy Petri and one of the 12 Royal Peculiars that is not directly responsible to a bishop but to the Royal Dynasty. In the 11th century Edward the Confessor ordered the construction of a new monastery church. William the Conqueror was crowned in 1066 as all British monarchs after him. Additionally, most of the Royal weddings and burial festivities take place in Westminster Abbey.
Opening times:
Main nave and cloister: Mo – Fr 8 am – 6 pm
King’s Chapels: Mo – Fr 9 am – 4 pm, Sat 9 am – 2 pm and 3.45 pm – 5 pm
Chapter House, Chapel of the Pyx and Abbey Museum: daily 10.30 am – 4 pm
Dean’s Yard
SW1
London
Tel: +44 (0) 171 2225152
St. Paul’s Cathedral
This master piece which used to be the highest point of the “Square Mile”, is today surrounded by high office buildings. As many churches before the cathedral is devoted to St. Paul and is the only English church with a cupola which is characteristic for it. The cathedral belongs to the Bishop of London and is responsible for the whole Commonwealth. The main attraction is the ascent to the galleries (Whispering Gallery, Stone Gallery and Golden Gallery) and the cupola.
Opening times:
Mo – Sat 8.30 am – 4 pm
Galleries and crypt: Mo – Sat 10 am – 4 pm
St. Paul’s Churchyard
EC4
London
Southwark Cathedral
This cathedral is the most impressive and most interesting sacral building after Westminster Abbey. The church was built in 1212 after a fire had destroyed the Norman stone church St. Mary Overie. Between 1890 and 1896 the church was restored and rebuilt by Sir Arthur Bloomfield. In 1905 it was promoted to a cathedral and since then carries the official name “The Cathedral Church of St. Saviour & St. Mary Overie Southwark. Since 1988 the cathedral has a modern Chapter House which was built at the same position of the medieval abbey and today owns a public restaurant.
Montague Close, London Bridge
SE1
London
St. Martin-in-the-Fields
This distinctive church at Trafalgar Square was built between 1722 and 1726. The previous church from 1222 was indeed “in the fields”. It was transformed into St. Martin under Henry VIII. and now combines baroque and classical elements. With the construction of the Trafalgar Square the previously constricted church received more attention through the open space. Nice to see are the emblem of the Royal Family in the entrance hall, the Italian stucco ceiling and the Venetian choral windows. Inside there are many graves of important people.
St. Margaret’s Church
St. Margaret’s is a parish church of the members of the House of Commons which is located next to Westminster Abbey. The church from the 16th century was rebuilt and restored a couple of times during the centuries. When the head of the House of Commons preferred the service in St. Margaret’s to the one in Westminster Abbey in 1614, due to the growing Puritanism of the assemblymen, many “Commons” followed him. Since then St. Margaret’s advanced to the church of the House of Commons where the first benches are reserved for the Mr. Speaker. A special attraction of the church is the East window with masterly Flemish glass paintings which was a gift from the Spanish royal couple Isabella and Ferdinand.
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Churches
Westminster Abbey
St. Paul’s Cathedral 
Southwark Cathedral 
St. Martin-in-the-Fields
St. Margaret’s Church
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