Westminster Abbey

This place suprised me a little. i did expect something extraordinary, but even so, I waas suprised. The place is an intriguing place to explore. The audio guide is very informative even if it doesn't talk so much about all the tombs of famous people. This part of the Abbey was very interesting. Once again - arriving early is a great advantage! The "No photos policy" pulls down the grade one step.

Westminster Abbey was one of my favourite aspects of London. The fact that Henry the 8th's tomb is there was the main attraction, however I was amazed at the history and the other beauties of this amazing building. I really felt a sense of the depth of a spiritual experience while I was in there. There are tombs everywhere and a very strong sense of a higher power.

Even though I am a lover of history, art, and architecture, I must take the minority view that Westminster Abbey was a disappointment. Yes, it's tombs and monuments make it a "Who's Who" of British history and culture... and yes, it is an impressive building. But, frankly, I would not list it anywhere near the top of my list of the most awe-inspiring churches and cathedrals that I have seen in the course of many years of travel. I felt that the admission price of 15 pounds (nearly $50 US for the 2 of us) was overpriced. Never in my life have I paid such a price to visit a church. Is the Anglican Church milking the Abbey for all it's worth, or have they set the admission so high in hopes of cutting down on the high tourist volume? If the later is the case, it hasn't helped. Which brings me to my next complaint, the abbey is so jammed with tourists (you truly have to squeeze through the crowds in some tight spots) that you lose the sense of being in a church. Finally, I am very respectful of restrictions on photography in churches... after all it is a place of worship. But after paying that admission price, and seeing the hordes of visitors trooping through the place, the restriction seemed ridiculous. Non-flash photography would not have distracted one iota from its dignity (or lack thereof).