Westminster Abbey, London

Ever since William the Conqueror's coronation here in 1066, Westminster Abbey has remained one of England's most important religious and ceremonial sites. Every English and British monarch after William also received his or her crown here. More than 600 monuments and memorials in the abbey honor famous Britons. The current building is over 700 years old. Note the many intricate details, including stained-glass windows, tapestries, monumental sculptures, and flying buttresses. Spend extra time in Poets' Corner, where poets and writers such as Rudyard Kipling and Charles Dickens are buried. After you finish walking around the abbey, head down to its museum. The oldest part of the complex, it contains many royal and religious artifacts and displays wax effigies of past monarchs. You can use a complimentary audio guide you or hire a verger (a layperson providing services to the church) as a guide for a small extra fee, an option which can provide rich context to your visit. For travelers who use our international travel planner, London holidays become easier to arrange, with trips to the Westminster Abbey and other attractions mapped out and timetabled.