Westminster Abbey in London: history, photos, description, interesting facts. Westminster Abbey in London: photos, pictures, videos

Daria Nessel | Oct 17, 2017

An amazing object, which to a certain extent can be called the soul of the state, its symbol and concentrated point of history. And we can, without a doubt, say: every person visiting the capital of the Commonwealth for the first time will probably want to visit here.

The special role of Westminster Abbey in the life of Britain

Many people have probably heard these two words - Westminster Abbey. But not everyone knows what lies behind them. But they simply mean a cathedral, a complete and official name which sounds like this: St. Peter's Collegiate Church, Westminster. But its role in the fate of Great Britain is completely special. There is simply no other one like it here.

We can start with the simple fact that Peter's Church is the largest in the city. Its size can amaze the imagination of a sophisticated traveler. The internal height is 31 meters, the greatest length is 156.5 meters, two side towers are 69 meters high. But if it was only a question of the geometry of the structure, would it be worth talking about? The most valuable feature of the structure is that it is closely connected with the existence of the English royal families. Over the past centuries, 38 monarchs have found their crowns within its borders!

In addition, many eminent citizens of the country who forged its fame and glory are buried in and around the building. Nowadays, there are about 3 thousand burials and hundreds of busts of scientists, poets, politicians, and economic figures concentrated here. In essence, Westminster Abbey has become a kind of pantheon where the nation can honor the memory of its heroes and great men.

Well, don’t forget that it is an architectural monument of unsurpassed beauty and uniqueness, included in the list World Heritage UNESCO.

History of the construction of Westminster Abbey

The Church of St. Peter was born long and difficult. Its formation is conditionally divided into the following stages:

emergence during the early Middle Ages;

revival after decline and continued construction in the Middle Ages;

restoration and transformation in the post-medieval period.

Westminster Abbey is located on the left bank of the Thames, where in ancient times the small river Tyburn flowed into it. In the bed of the Thames, the island of Thorney was formed where, according to some archaeologists, a pagan temple existed almost since the times of the Roman Empire. Now there has long been no island here, nor the Tyburna river, hidden in the underground city sewers in the century before last.

Be that as it may, around the 7th century a building arose on the site of the temple. They named it Westminster, which means “Western Church.” We can say that the name was given in contrast to the “Eastern Church”, which was already built in another area of the city.

The monastery building turned out to be wooden, and times were very turbulent, so it almost disappeared several times and was restored again.

At the beginning of the 11th century, after another destruction, Edward the Confessor erected a stone building here in the form of a cross. During this period, an event took place in the fate of the monastery, which subsequently influenced its entire existence up to the present day: the kings liked the temple and they “took patronage over it.” Westminster Abbey began to receive a lot of money and privileges. From that time, or more precisely, from 1065, the monastery turned into a place where the rulers of England were crowned and then found their last earthly refuge.

Thus ended the initial period of development of the monastery, but it was replaced by a new one. In 1245, Henry III ordered the partial destruction of the old building and the construction of a new, grandiose church, worthy of being the tomb of monarchs. This date is considered the time of the founding of the cathedral that everyone sees now in London.

In subsequent centuries, the complex underwent significant changes: individual sections of it, chapels and towers, portals and courtyard buildings were completed. Some supports were added and others were removed. The period of active architecture ended in 1512 with the construction of a magnificent Gothic monument - the tomb of Henry VII.

After the Middle Ages, although innovations in external appearance arose, they were no longer on such a scale. Moreover, the era of the Reformation came, the monasteries lost their importance, and Westminster Abbey actually ceased to be such, retaining only a formal name. The last noticeable novelty in the appearance of the temple was the appearance in the first half of the 18th century of two columns at the western gate.

20th century martyrs behind the west façade of Westminster Abbey.

What's inside Westminster Abbey

On the territory of the abbey, on a special throne, solemn coronation ceremonies of monarchs ascending the English throne took place. So, the cathedral took a very long time to build, which, however, makes it similar to many outstanding churches in Europe. It is surprising that the architects working on the creation of Westminster Abbey managed to preserve the architectural integrity of the most complex complex; it appears to the eyes of guests as one of the best examples of Western European Gothic.

The interior space amazes with its grandeur and grace. As at the dawn of its formation, in plan it looks like a cross, to which many side galleries, supports and several chapels were attached. Here are just some parts of the religious complex.

Chapel of Edward the Confessor, or Royal Chapels

It is also the main royal tomb. The attention of foreigners is attracted by the ancient wooden throne on which the owners of the Tower sat at the time of coronation. An incredibly valuable thing for Britain, the so-called Scone stone, is built into it below. Outwardly, it is unprepossessing, a nondescript reddish piece of sandstone, brought to London in 1296 by King Edward (nicknamed Longshanks) as a trophy after the conquest of Scotland. Previously, it was used at the coronation of Scottish kings. The trophy turned out to be a symbol of victory for the British; they called it the Stone of Destiny.

Chapel of Our Lady, or Chapel of Henry VII

A rare and beautiful example of Gothic architecture! Huge windows, thousands of marble leaves and flowers together create a feeling of light lace. And the most important highlight is the chiseled fan columns. They are so light that the ceiling seems to hang in the air, contrary to the laws of nature!

There are practically no flat areas on the walls; everything is covered with stone patterns. The sarcophagi of Henry and his wife are noteworthy. They depict a crown lying in the grass. There is information that it belonged to Richard III, with whom Henry won the battle near the village of Bosworth, and picked up the abandoned crown and was crowned right there on the bloody battlefield.

Chapter Hall

Its unique floor is lined with tiles that are about eight hundred years old! The wide vault is supported by thin columns. The stability of the ceiling is ensured by powerful external buttresses. As a rule, chapters are rooms for gathering monks, a kind of assembly halls. This chapter also served a similar purpose, but not for long. For some time, the English House of Commons met in it, and it was also used to store the state archive.

The country's treasury was kept in the Chapter's dungeon. Probably, the secular authorities believed that the elders, who were in God, would not encroach on worldly wealth. But in 1303, the devil apparently misled the monks, and in collusion with the merchant Poudelicot, they began to steal jewelry from the treasury. The reprisal of the king who found out about this was terrible: the skin of the living merchant was torn off and nailed to the vault door.

Chapter House or Chapter Hall.

Poets Corner

This area of Westminster Abbey traditionally captivates guests. Here lie the literary geniuses of Britain, poets and writers, actors. Among the most famous burials are the ashes of Dickens, Browning, Eliot, and other masters of words, whose fans come here from all over the world. Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey

The monastery is famous not only for the listed interesting objects. Here is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in honor of those who fell in the First World War. All heads of state arriving in the Commonwealth on official visits must come here. There is a beautiful courtyard surrounded by long covered galleries (cloiters), and a large ancient garden, the College Garden, with statues of saints. In the old days, it was in the cloisters that the templars spent their hours in business and prayer. The age of the garden has already exceeded 900 years, it is surrounded by a high wall, which is still younger than the garden itself. It is believed that the oldest plants living here are five plane trees from the mid-19th century.

There are always crowds near the tombstones of the luminaries of science, Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. There is a museum on the grounds of Westminster Abbey, part of which is occupied by an exhibition of wax figures of celebrities buried here. Although even without them there are so many diverse sculptures around that the viewer is constantly faced with a choice of what to look at: exquisite architecture or equally impeccable busts, sarcophagi, life-size figures.

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1. Oscar Wilde's grave

Oscar Wilde's grave in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris rivals Jim Morrison's in popularity. But there are more kisses on the monument to the great poet. The monument, made by sculptor Jacob Epstein, caused a lot of controversy. At one time, the genitals of the monument were covered with a fig leaf due to public outrage, but then opponents of censorship chopped it off, however, along with the genitals themselves. Now all passions have calmed down, the monument has been repaired, and now it serves as one of the rallying points for fighters against homophobia.

2. John Keats's grave

The "English" cemetery in Rome is famous for the grave of the poet John Keats. The genius of romantic writings died of tuberculosis before his talent received public recognition. As per Keats' wishes, his name was not engraved on his tombstone.

3. Sylvia Plath's grave

For some reason, the graves of poets more often become shrines than the graves of writers. And Sylvia Plath's grave in Heptonstall cemetery in Yorkshire also became a battlefield. Many times, fans of the poetess knocked off the name of her husband from the tombstone, whom they blamed for Sylvia’s suicide.

4. Bette Davis's grave

The grave of two-time Oscar-winning actress Bette Davis in California bears her own epitaph for herself: “She came the hard way.”

5. Isaac Newton's grave

The Isaac Newton monument in Westminster Abbey in London is perhaps one of the most famous in the world. The epitaph on his tombstone reads: “Nature and her laws were covered in darkness, and God said: “Let there be Newton, let there be light.”

6. Emily Wetmore's grave

The name Emily Wetmore means nothing to anyone, and this is understandable, she was not a celebrity. She was the wife of the sculptor William Wetmore, who created her monument, which is now one of the most copied images in the world. The "Angel of Sorrow" standing in a Roman cemetery has become a symbol of love and sadness for the whole world.

7. William Shakespeare's grave

William Shakespeare's grave bears an inscription cursing anyone who disturbs his ashes. No one ever decided to incur the curse of the great poet, but scientists were able to get out of the situation. Shakespeare's grave was scanned and it turned out there was nothing in it. No body, no coffin, no treasure, no manuscripts...

Publication date: 2014-01-26

(eng. Westminster Abbey) is the modern unofficial name of the “Collegiate Church of St. Peter in Westminster,” one of the most important religious buildings in Great Britain, which since the 11th century has become the traditional place of coronation and burial of English, and later British, monarchs.

For many centuries, the monastery complex was the third most important center of learning and education in the country (after Cambridge and Oxford). It was within the walls of the abbey that the bulk of the work of translating the Bible into English language. It has also hosted 16 royal weddings, the most recent of which was that of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Initially, the name “Westminster Abbey” was used to designate a Catholic monastery, including a complex of buildings and buildings, of which only the main attraction, the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, has survived to this day. Thus, today Westminster Abbey is a church and not an abbey in the traditional sense of the term.

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History of Westminster Abbey

According to a well-known legend, in the early 7th century, near a ford across the Thames west of London, a local fisherman named Aldrich saw an image of St. Peter, the patron saint of fishermen, above the river. At the site of the appearance of the image, a church was founded, which received the name West Minster(from the English west - west and minster - monastery church). An interesting fact is that in the Middle Ages, fishermen from nearby villages paid salmon tax to the abbey, and it is quite possible that the legend was invented precisely to justify the extortions.

It is generally accepted that the founders of the Church of West Minster were the Bishop of London Mellitus (died 626) and the first king of Essex to convert to Christianity, Saberth (died 616; his tomb can be seen within the walls of the abbey). However, the first truly historically reliable evidence dates back to the 960s, when St. Dunstan, supported by King Edgar, founded a community of monks of the Order of St. Benedict at the West Minster Church.

Edward the Confessor - founder of Westminster Abbey

The most important role in the history of the abbey was played by King Edward the Confessor, known for his piety (reigned 1042–1065). He began a large-scale reconstruction of the old West Minster Church into a grandiose architectural structure with a view to its use as a royal tomb. By order of the king, the Benedictine community received the status of an abbey (Catholic monastery) and good land. The new church, built in honor of St. Peter, was completed in 1090, but consecrated much earlier - at the end of 1065 (just a week before the death of Edward the Confessor). The burial of the king, and nine years later that of his wife, became the first burials of royalty in the newly formed Westminster Abbey.

Edward the Confessor built a royal palace next to the abbey, which served as the residence of the English kings until 1512, and then as the seat of Parliament. It is believed, although not documented, that his successor Harold II (the last Anglo-Saxon king) was crowned at the abbey in 1066. The first documented ceremony was the coronation of William the Conqueror (the organizer and leader of the Norman conquest of England) in the same 1066.

The church, built by Edward the Confessor, was not inferior in size to the one existing today, but, unfortunately, practically nothing has survived from it, like from other buildings of the abbey of the 11th century. What the structure looked like during the time of Edward the Confessor can only be judged from the only surviving image on the famous Bayeux Tapestry. Only minor fragments of the 11th century buildings have survived to this day: Pyx Chamber, the lower floor of the monastic cells and Norman Undercroft (large crypt-tomb).

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Reconstruction of the abbey in the 13th - 16th centuries

Construction of the abbey church that exists today (that is, the "Collegiate Church of St. Peter at Westminster") began in 1245 under Henry III, who personally chose Westminster Abbey as his burial place. According to the king's plan, the temple was to become a place for the solemn ceremony of coronation and burial of English kings - a sacred center of royal power, like Reims Cathedral in France.

The reconstruction of the abbey continued intermittently for more than 250 years (from 1245 to 1517). At the first stage, the architects were the English masters Henry of Essex (known in the chronicles as "Henry of the Rhine, King's Mason") and John of Gloucester. The fact that Westminster Abbey's architecture is much closer to French cathedrals than to English Gothic is probably due to the fact that the creators drew inspiration from the flourishing Gothic art of northern France in general and from the magnificent cathedrals of Amiens, Reims and Paris (Notre Dame de Paris) in particular.

Work to rebuild the abbey was completed by the architects Robert Beverley and Henry Yevel during the reign of King Richard II (1377–1399), but minor decoration continued thereafter. In 1503, Henry VII added to the abbey church a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, known today as the Henry VII Chapel.

By the beginning of the 16th century, thanks to its proximity to the monarchs, Westminster Abbey became one of the richest monasteries of that time. For example, in 1535 his annual income was £2,800, equivalent to £1.5 million today. Only Glastonbury Abbey was richer.

Westminster Abbey during the Reformation

During the Reformation (second quarter of the 16th century), the abbey, which was a Catholic monastery, was abolished, the monks were expelled, and the church itself fell into decay. Many artistic treasures were destroyed or plundered, magnificent stained glass windows, the constant decoration of medieval Gothic churches, were broken.

In 1540, King Henry VIII, who became the head of the Church of England as a result of the Reformation, issued a special charter, which granted Westminster Abbey the status of a cathedral. This was done to protect the historical landmark from final looting and destruction. However, the abbey existed in this status for only 10 years.

The Benedictine monks again briefly took possession of the abbey during the reign of Queen Mary I the Catholic, but were expelled, this time completely, in 1559, when Elizabeth I ascended the throne. In 1579, she declared Westminster Abbey “royal property”, then there is, directly controlled by the monarch.

During the English Civil War (1640s), the abbey suffered from attacks by Puritan iconoclasts. In 1658, the church hosted a lavish funeral for Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell, but after the restoration of the monarchy, his remains were exhumed and posthumously hanged for treason.

XVIII - XIX centuries

From the point of view of most modern historians, architects and art historians, the perestroika and restoration of the 18th–19th centuries rather spoiled than improved appearance Westminster Abbey. Thus, at the beginning of the 18th century, the western facade, created in the 15th century, was rebuilt. Then the unsuccessful western towers were added in the Gothic Revival style, and in the 19th century, during the era of passion for “restoration”, the northern portal was also rebuilt. These changes were already recognized by contemporaries as “barbaric.”

XX - XXI centuries

in 1908, a museum was opened in part of the abbey’s premises;
since the 1990s, the nave of the church has been decorated with two icons by the Russian icon painter Sergei Fedorov;
On September 6, 1997, Princess Diana's funeral ceremony took place at the Abbey;
On April 29, 2011, the wedding ceremony of Prince William and Kate Middleton took place at the Abbey.

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Exterior of Westminster Abbey

Martyrs of the 20th century

Above the west portal of Westminster Abbey it was originally planned to place sculptures of saints and monarchs, but for some reason the niches intended for them remained empty. At the end of the 20th century, the Anglican Church, under whose jurisdiction the landmark falls, decided to perpetuate the memory of ten martyrs of the 20th century by installing their sculptures in these niches. The solemn ceremony of consecrating the statues of the martyrs took place on July 9, 1998.

The choice of martyrs, according to the special commission, was determined by the desire to represent the continents of the Earth and different Christian denominations as widely as possible. It is interesting that among these ten religious figures who suffered for their faith and educational activities, there is not a single Briton. Their names (from left to right):

Maximilian Kolbe(1894-1941) - Polish Catholic Franciscan priest who voluntarily accepted death in the Auschwitz concentration camp to save a stranger.

Manche Masemola(1913-1928) - a girl from the South African Pedi tribe. She wanted to convert to Christianity through baptism, but was beaten to death by her relatives who adhered to traditional beliefs.

Janani Luwum(1922-1977) - Archbishop of the Church of Uganda. He opposed the massacres and repressions launched in the country after the establishment of the regime of dictator Idi Amin. In 1977, he was arrested on charges of treason. The same year he was killed under unclear circumstances.

Elizaveta Romanova(1864-1918) - Princess of Hesse-Darmstadt, wife of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, Grand Duchess of the House of Romanov. Honorary member of numerous spiritual societies and Orthodox educational institutions, founder of the Martha and Mary Convent in Moscow. She is known for her active charitable activities. After the Bolsheviks came to power, she refused to leave Russia. In 1918, she was arrested by the Bolsheviks and soon executed.

Martin Luther King(1929-1968) - Baptist pastor in the USA, known as an irreconcilable fighter against discrimination, racism and segregation, leader of a public association for the civil rights of blacks. He also actively opposed the aggressive foreign policy of the United States, in particular, the Vietnam War. King's work in the field of democratization of society was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Killed during a demonstration.

Oscar Romero(1917-1980) - fourth Archbishop of San Salvador (capital of the state of El Salvador). He was actively involved in human rights activities, spoke out against torture, kidnappings and murders, which became widespread during the rule of the right-wing radical regime. He was shot dead by extremists during a service in the cathedral.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer(1906-1945) - German Lutheran theologian who actively resisted Nazi attempts to establish control over the Lutheran Church in Germany. He belonged to an anti-Nazi group that was planning a conspiracy against Hitler. He was exposed and executed in April 1945.

Esther John(1929-1960) - Pakistani nurse and teacher. She was born into a Muslim family, but under the influence of studying the Bible she converted to Christianity. She worked and preached Christianity in Karachi and other Pakistani cities. She was killed for her activities.

Lucian Tapiedi(1921-1942) - Anglican teacher from Papua New Guinea. Killed local residents during the evacuation after the Japanese invasion of the island. Included among the "Eight Papuan Martyrs".

Wang Zhiming(1907-1973) - Chinese pastor who preached among the Miao people in Yunnan Province. For refusing to cooperate with the communist regime, he was branded a counter-revolutionary. Arrested in 1969, at the height of the Cultural Revolution. Four years later he was executed.

Interior of Westminster Abbey

The Church of Westminster Abbey, a striking example of Gothic architecture, amazes with its size, richness of architecture and interiors. Its length is 156.5 meters, the height of the central nave is 31 meters. Round rose windows with beautiful stained glass windows were used to decorate the facades of the northern and southern transepts. The vaults are supported by pointed arches supported by tall narrow columns. The use of these architectural elements gives extraordinary lightness and spaciousness to the interior, creating the impression of airiness and weightlessness of the structure, which is enhanced by the effect of light penetrating from many huge windows. The inside of the church is literally stunning in its spaciousness, although from the outside it seems much lower and narrower. Above the main nave there is a triforium - a narrow decorative gallery decorated with exquisite carvings, one of the most beautiful elements of the interior.

Poets' Corner is part of the south transept of Westminster Abbey, where prominent poets, playwrights and writers are buried. The first burial was Geoffrey Chaucer in 1556. Over time, it became a tradition in Poets' Corner to bury or place memorial plaques to individuals who made a significant contribution to development of British literature.

Interestingly, the medieval poet Geoffrey Chaucer, who died in 1400 and was buried in the abbey, earned such high honor not for his works, but because of his position as clerk of the royal works at Palace of Westminster. Recognition of his poetic talent came much later. Chaucer was the first to write works not in Latin, but in his native language. In 1556, Nicholas Brigham erected a magnificent sarcophagus in the south transept, where Chaucer's remains were transferred. After the famous Elizabethan poet Edmund Spenser was buried next to Chaucer in 1599, a tradition arose of burying poets and writers in this part of the abbey. As an exception, several canons and deacons are buried here, as well as Thomas Parr, who according to legend died at the age of 152, outliving 10 English rulers.

Burial or the erection of a memorial plaque in honor of someone does not always occur immediately after death. For example, Lord Byron, whose poetry was admired as much as his scandalous lifestyle was condemned, died in 1824, but only in 1969 was awarded a monument in Poets' Corner. Even William Shakespeare, buried at Stratford-upon-Avon in 1616, was not given this honor until 1740.

Some of the individuals buried in the Corner have monuments erected here or in other parts of the abbey. Sometimes a person was buried elsewhere in the abbey, but the monument was placed in Poets' Corner. There were also cases when the public asked to bury the writer in the Corner, but contrary to this, the burial took place in other parts of the abbey. In addition, two monuments were moved from the Corner to other locations in the Abbey grounds due to the discovery of ancient wall paintings behind them.

The monuments located in the Poets' Corner come in different types. Sometimes these are simple memorial plaques, sometimes more ornate stone statues. There are also several group sculptures: a joint monument to the Brontë sisters (1947), a stone slab with the names of 16 poets of the First World War (1985) and a monument to the four founders of the Royal Ballet (2009).

With little space left for new burials and monuments in the Corner, in 1994 it was decided to place a tempered glass plaque on which names would be inscribed as needed. There is enough space on the board for 20 names. The seventh name in 2010 was Elizabeth Gaskell. In addition to all the above-mentioned writers, such famous personalities as Charles Dickens, Rudyard Kipling, Laurence Olivier, John Keats, Walter Scott, Oscar Wilde and many others found their final refuge in the Poets' Corner.

Chapel

The first chapel, dedicated to King Edward the Confessor, during whose lifetime most of Westminster Abbey was erected, appeared back in 1163, immediately after his canonization. A century later (in 1269), during the large-scale reconstruction of Henry III, the chapel was rebuilt, and the body of the holy king was reburied with great honors.

Sarcophagus

The central element of the chapel is the famous sarcophagus with relics Edward, created in the Romanesque style by Italian masters under the direction of Peter the Roman. Initially, it consisted of three parts - a stone base, a golden shrine with the body of the king and a wooden canopy. The sarcophagus was decorated with golden images of knights and saints. During the Reformation, it was dismantled and hidden by the monks, but the golden shrine was stolen. Under Queen Mary I the Bloody, when Catholicism briefly became the state religion again, the sarcophagus was rebuilt, but the marble base was not carefully assembled. In the absence of the shrine, the coffin was placed on a stone base - in this position it is still placed today. The wooden canopy was restored and re-painted. The chapel also contains the tombs of Kings Henry III, Richard II, Edward I, Edward III and their spouses.

Important historical attractions of the chapel are the 13th-century Cosmatesque floor mosaic and the probably 15th-century stone gate (separating the chapel from the altar), which is decorated with carvings of scenes from the life of King Edward the Confessor.

Since the 13th century, the cult of worship of the Virgin Mary has spread in Europe. England was no exception - Henry III built a chapel dedicated to Our Lady. At the beginning of the 16th century, Henry VII rebuilt it, making it his tomb. Even during the life of Henry VII, a huge sum of 14,000 pounds was spent on the Chapel at that time, however, according to the will of the monarch, if necessary, expenses could be increased. In the end they reached 20,000, which in today's money is about 11-12 million pounds.

The main attraction of the chapel is its famous fan ceiling with pendants. At the same time, hanging pendants are not only a decorative element, but also help create the necessary compression to support the cone-shaped niches of the vault. Thanks to the use of such a complex design for its time, the architects managed to achieve extraordinary visual lightness of the structure - it seems that the openwork vaults, supported by narrow arches, are floating in the air.

Other decorative details of the chapel are also extremely exquisite and beautiful. The triforium is decorated with numerous statues of saints and apostles. The tomb of Henry VII and his wife Elizabeth of York contains sculptures of the royal couple, made by Italian sculptor Pietro Torrigiano in 1518. The chapel's altar, made of terracotta, white marble and gilded bronze, was a true masterpiece, but was destroyed during the Stuart Restoration. Today the altar has been restored and is an exact copy.

In addition to the tomb of Henry VII and his wife, the chapel contains the burials of Edward VI, James I, Mary I, Charles VII, as well as rival queens Elizabeth Tudor and Mary Stuart the Bloody. Ironically, having been bitter enemies during their lifetime, Elizabeth and Mary were buried in the same grave. Also, the Lord Protector of England, Oliver Cromwell, was buried here for a short period of time; his body was then removed, hanged and quartered.

In 1725, by royal decree, the chapel was placed at the disposal of the Most Venerable Order of the Bath, an order of chivalry founded by King George I. Its name comes from an ancient rite in which applicants were subjected to an all-night vigil of fasting, prayer and bathing on the eve of knighthood. Benches were installed in the chapel for the knights of the order, but already in the 19th century there were too many initiates, and today only the most respected of them are awarded personal seats. Above each personal place is hung the banner of a knight along with the family coat of arms. According to tradition, the banner remains in the chapel even after the death of the knight. The banners of the chapter of the order are also kept here.

Chapter House, or Chapter Hall, was built at the same time as the eastern part of the abbey in the mid-13th century during the reign of Henry III and rebuilt in 1872 by Sir George Gilbert Scott. Chapter House is an octagonal Geometric Gothic building of exceptional architectural integrity. The six huge windows were once decorated with beautiful stained glass windows. Unfortunately, they were all destroyed during the Reformation (West Quarter of the 16th century), but the paved floor from the mid-13th century still remains. The door in the vestibule dates from the mid-11th century and is believed to be the oldest in England.

In the 13th century, Chapter House was the site of daily meetings of Benedictine monks, and later the Great Royal Council and the House of Commons (the predecessor of the English Parliament) met there. From 1547 to 1865 the state archive was located here. Below Chapter House there is an octagonal crypt.

Peaks Chamber

The oldest part of the abbey still in existence is the Pyx Chamber, built in 1065. It was a crypt under monastic cells, and for many centuries it served as a treasury, first for the monastery, and then for the royal one. The name "Pix" comes from the special wooden boxes in which the newly minted gold and silver coins were placed. The boxes were then handed over to a commissioned jury, who checked the coins to ensure they met royal standards (the whole process was called the Trial of Pyx). There were also special scales for weighing precious metals, one of the most accurate in the world.

Right next to the western entrance to the church, in the center of the nave, is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - the burial place of an unidentified British soldier who died during the First World War. He was buried in the abbey on November 11, 1920, the second anniversary of the end of the war, in memory of the hundreds of thousands of British soldiers who died on the battlefields. Of all the tombstones that can be seen in the abbey, only the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is prohibited from being stepped on.

Abbey Museum

The Abbey Museum is located in the vaulted crypt under the former monastic dormitory. These premises date back to the 11th century and are one of the oldest buildings in the abbey, the same age as the church built by Edward the Confessor. The museum was opened to the public in 1908. On display here are royal tombstones (in particular those of Edward III, Henry VII and his wife, Elizabeth of York, Charles II, William III, Mary II and Queen Anne), funeral decorations (Henry V's saddle, helmet and shield), medieval glass panels, fragments sculptures of the 12th century, a coronation throne, copies of the coronation regalia of Mary II and many other historically valuable things and objects. During the restoration work on the tomb of Elizabeth I, a unique corset dating back to 1603 was discovered. Today it is exhibited separately. The latest addition to the museum's collection is a late 13th-century altarpiece, the oldest surviving in England.

Coronations at the Abbey

Since the coronation of Harold and William the Conqueror in 1066, Westminster Abbey has been the site of the coronations of English, and later British, monarchs. The only deviation from this rule occurred in 1219, when the already mentioned King Henry III, upon ascending the throne, was crowned Cathedral Gloucester due to the fact that London was occupied by the enemy troops of the French prince Louis. However, the Pope did not recognize this coronation as legal, and as soon as London was liberated, Henry was crowned again - this time in Westminster Abbey. In total, 38 coronations took place here.

The coronation ceremony is traditionally performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the head of the Church of England. The ceremony uses a throne called a throne, which is interesting because it contains a historical relic of great importance, known as The stone of Destiny, or Skunk stone. The relic is a rectangular block of sandstone weighing 152 kilograms. According to legend, it was while standing on this stone that Kenneth I, one of the first Scottish kings, was crowned. All of his successors were also crowned on the stone, which thus became a symbol of Scottish independence.

The stone of Destiny

King Edward I of England, having conquered Scotland, captured the stone in 1296 and brought it to London. He ordered the relic to be placed under the seat of the wooden throne (Edward's Chair) on which English monarchs were crowned, to symbolically secure England's supremacy over Scotland. Since 1308, all monarchs have been crowned on the renewed throne. Only once did the throne leave the walls of Westminster Abbey - in 1653 it was moved to Westminster Hall for the ceremony of proclamation of Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector. As for the Stone of Scone, it was kept in the Abbey from 1301 to 1996, except for a short period in 1950 when it was briefly stolen by Scottish nationalists. Today, the relic is kept in Edinburgh Castle in Scotland, but for future coronations of British monarchs, the stone will definitely be brought to the abbey to take its traditional place under the seat of King Edward's Chair.

Burials at the Abbey

In the 12th–18th centuries, Westminster Abbey also served as the burial place of English and British monarchs. The first of the kings to find eternal rest within the walls of the abbey church was Edward the Confessor. In the 12th century, he was canonized, and his relics were enclosed in a reliquary decorated with gold and precious stones and became an object of worship and pilgrimage for English believers. Most of the monarchs who died before 1760 are buried in the abbey, with the exception of Edward IV, Henry VIII and Charles I, who are buried in the Chapel of St. George of Windsor Castle. After 1760, most monarchs and members of their families began to be buried either in the Chapel of St. George, or at the Frogmore House residence (1 km west of Windsor Castle).

There is no greater honor for an Englishman than to be buried in Westminster Abbey. In the Middle Ages, this honor could simply be purchased by making a generous donation, so there are many graves of rich people here who left no trace in history. However, over time, the abbey became the final resting place for many truly outstanding national figures. This tradition was founded by Oliver Cromwell, at whose insistence, Admiral Robert Blake was buried here in 1657. Over time, generals, politicians, doctors and scientists began to be buried in the necropolis of Westminster Abbey: for example, such famous scientists as John Herschel, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Ernest Rutherford are buried here. In the early 20th century, the practice of burying cremated remains rather than coffins became common, and since 1936 no person has been buried within the abbey's walls in a coffin. The only exceptions are members of the Percy family, who own the Northumberland Crypt in the Abbey grounds.

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If in the eastern part of the temple the influence of French architecture is strongly felt, then the long nave is typically English. During its construction in the 14th century, Cardinal Simon Langham, the former rector, wanted to speed up the work and insisted that cheaper stone be used for the supports. We must be grateful to Abbot Nicholas Litlington, who did not give in to persuasion and ensured that marble from Purbeck was used for the supports. This gave the temple architectural integrity - you can’t tell from its appearance that it took 500 years to build.

Just like the Poets' Corner, areas were formed in the abbey where people of other professions are immortalized. To the west of the organ, facing the nave, stands a monument to Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) by J. M. Rysbrack. Newton is remembered primarily for his law of gravity, but his other discoveries and inventions in the fields of mechanics, optics and astronomy made him one of the world's greatest scientists. His interests are reflected in the sculpture, which depicts optical and mathematical instruments, his books and a sphere with zodiac signs and constellations. He is buried right in front of the monument.

Other outstanding scientists and engineers are also buried or memorialized here: Michael Faraday (1791-1867), who studied electricity and magnetism; Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937), who created the model of the atom. Charles Darwin (1809-92) lies nearby and a medallion with his portrait is mounted on the wall below the organ in the north end of the choir.

Nearby are portraits of other scientists, including the founder of antiseptics Joseph Lister (1827-1912) and Darwin's friend, botanist Sir Joseph Hooker (1817-1911). Engineers are immortalized in the nave, among them the famous watchmakers Thomas Tompion (1638-1713), George Graham (1673-1751) and John Harrison (1693-1776), the creator of the marine chronometer, which made it possible to determine longitude at sea. A memorial to him was opened in 2006.

In the center of the nave is the tomb of the famous traveler and missionary David Livingstone. His heart was buried in Africa, where he died, but 11 months later devoted servants brought his body to the abbey for burial.

At the western end, in the middle of the nave, is a large green marble memorial to Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965), the country's inspirational leader during the Second World War. The monument was unveiled by the Queen on September 19, 1965 - 25 years after the Battle of Britain.

The most famous tomb in the abbey is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Situated at the west end of the nave and surrounded by a border of red poppies, it commemorates the fallen not only of the First World War, but of all wars. All official state visits begin with the laying of a wreath at the grave, and a memorial service is held here each year on Remembrance Sunday.

The idea of burying a British soldier whose name and rank is unknown at Westminster among the kings and princes came from a young army chaplain, David Railton, in 1916 while he was serving on the Western Front. One evening, returning to his apartment, Railton saw a wooden grave cross with the inscription: “Unknown British Soldier.” Two years after the end of the war, he sent a letter to the prior of Westminster proposing that an unknown soldier be buried in the abbey. The abbot received the idea with enthusiasm, but King George V doubted whether such a burial would be considered belated. However, the government and public supported the plan, and it was eventually approved.

On a warship, accompanied by six destroyers, the soldier's body was solemnly carried from France to Britain. On the morning of November 11, 1920, he was brought to the abbey on a gun carriage, stopping at Whitehall, where the king unveiled the cenotaph. The coffin was carried into the abbey through the north portal and carried along the nave, lined with 100 recipients of the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest award for valour. The flag that was used to cover the coffin hangs on a column nearby. David Railton covered the temporary altars with this flag while giving communion to the soldiers. On the adjacent columns there is a bell from the ship Verdun, which delivered the body to Britain, and the Congressional Medal of Honor, an award to a soldier from the United States.

Sir Joseph Hooker is one of the scholars who is memorialized on the north side of the choir.

View from the nave to the choir railing; on the left is a monument to Isaac Newton by J.M. Risbrack.

Napoleon's Tomb, Les Invalides
Paris, France
Few of the defeated and expelled rulers were awarded such a luxurious burial. In 1861, the ashes of Emperor Napoleon were transported to Paris from St. Helena and buried in the cathedral of the Invalides. In the center of the crypt stands a sarcophagus made of red porphyry. It is surrounded by 12 statues telling about Napoleon's victories. The names of conquered cities (among which, by the way, is Moscow) are inscribed on the floor. Now the Invalides with the military museum located in it is included in the program of any sightseeing tour of Paris, so hundreds of tourists visit the emperor’s grave every day. Oscar Wilde’s grave, Père Lachaise cemetery
Paris, France
Thousands of fans visit Oscar Wilde's grave every year. Initially, the writer was buried in another cemetery, but then his ashes were transferred to Père Lachaise, where a winged sphinx was installed above the burial. This monument stood quietly until about the mid-1980s, until a new wave of interest in the writer began. From that time on, the monument began to be regularly covered with graffiti, and then a strange tradition arose of applying painted lips to it, leaving a lipstick imprint on the white stone. A year ago, on the 111th anniversary of the writer’s death, they finally decided to protect the monument from especially loving fans and covered it with thick protective glass.
Jim Morrison's grave, Père Lachaise Cemetery
Paris, France
Although more than 40 years have passed since the death of the charismatic leader of the rock band The Doors, questions about his death have not diminished: the reason for the musician’s death is not completely clear, and it is unclear why he had to be buried in a closed coffin. Some devoted fans prefer to think that the idol did not die, but simply got tired of everything and decided to disappear, faking his death. But nevertheless, they constantly come to his modest grave on the outskirts of the cemetery and, in memory of Morrison, indulge in all sorts of “bad excesses” there; especially many dubious personalities gather in this corner of the necropolis on the musician’s birthday.
Emile Zola's grave, Montmartre cemetery
Paris, France
Typically, guides show Russian tourists in Paris the Père Lachaise memorial cemetery, and in the Montmartre area they only lead to the observation deck of the Sacré-Coeur Cathedral, forgetting that nearby is the second famous necropolis, where Théophile Gautier, Pauline Viardot, Vaslav Nijinsky, Francois Truffaut are buried , Edgar Degas and many other popular personalities. However, most people come to this cemetery to worship the grave of the writer Emile Zola. And although the writer’s ashes, a few years after his death, were moved to the tomb of the most prominent people in France - the Pantheon, the grave has been preserved and there are always fresh flowers at the monument.
Federico Fellini's grave, city cemetery
Rimini, Italy
Tourists who have been to the popular Italian resort of Rimini know that the local airport is named after the famous director Federico Fellini. And if you go on a tour of the city, you will definitely be shown the grave of the great Italian - it is located at the very entrance to the city cemetery. The unusual tombstone looks like the bow of a ship, reminiscent of one of the films of the cinematic genius.
Isaac Newton's grave, Westminster Abbey
London, Great Britain
In Westminster Abbey - the traditional place of coronation of the rulers of Great Britain - Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens are buried, and many other famous names can be read on the stone slabs. But most often, visitors come to this place to see the ornate tombstone inscription: “Here lies Sir Isaac Newton, the nobleman who, with an almost divine mind, was the first to prove with the torch of mathematics the motion of the planets, the paths of comets, and the tides of the oceans... Let mortals rejoice that such a thing existed adornment of the human race."
Karl Marx's grave, Highgate Cemetery
London, Great Britain
Any communist arriving in London considers it his duty to bow to the ashes of Karl Marx. Local supporters of this party erected a pompous bust on his grave, which, however, is completely different from the canonical Soviet images. If Karl Marx and his ideology are of little interest to you, it is still worth visiting Highgate Cemetery in the northern part of the British capital: there are many crypts and tombstones of the Victorian era and, in addition to the founder of Marxism, such respected figures as the scientist Michael Faraday or the writer George are buried Eliot.
Lenin Mausoleum
Moscow, Russia
On Red Square, near the Kremlin wall in Moscow, Lenin’s body is kept in a granite mausoleum in a bulletproof glass sarcophagus. The scientific experiment on its preservation lasts almost a century; even a special laboratory was created for this purpose: every 18 months, scientists immerse the remains in a special embalming fluid, all parameters of the body are constantly recorded and studied. In Soviet times, one could spend long hours in line at the mausoleum; people stood around the clock. Now there are much fewer people who want to look at the leader’s body, and if you have never been to the mausoleum before, you should hurry: apparently, Lenin’s body will be buried in the near future.

Nikita Khrushchev's grave, Novodevichy Cemetery
Moscow, Russia
In the Novodevichy cemetery you can study the history of our country: many historical figures, writers, artists and other famous personalities who lived in the last couple of centuries are buried there, so few people come here to see only one of the graves, but almost every visitor stops at the one located on the central alley of the monument at the grave of Nikita Khrushchev. The monument by Ernst Neizvestny consists of black and white slabs, which symbolizes the controversial personality of one of the leaders of the Soviet Union.

Vysotsky's grave, Vagankovskoe cemetery
Moscow, Russia
To the review program bus excursions in Moscow very often include a visit to the Vagankovsky cemetery and the grave of Vladimir Vysotsky. Finding it is very easy: it is located right in front of the main entrance. Nowadays, few people remember that several decades ago the director of the cemetery needed great courage to bury an actor and musician who was disliked by the country’s leadership in such a place: the authorities insisted that the grave be located on the edge in the farthest corner of the necropolis.