Westminster Abbey is one of London’s most iconic and stunning buildings, a treasure trove of British history where every monarch since 1066 has been crowned.
Westminster Abbey Tickets
Westminster Abbey: Early Access + Guided Tour
Discover royal history, the Coronation Chair, and the tombs of famous figures while admiring stained glass windows and centuries-old craftsmanship. Choose from different tour options, including walking tours and afternoon tea, for a complete Westminster experience.
Westminster Abbey and City of Westminster: Guided Tour
Skip the lines at Westminster Abbey and explore its royal legacy with an expert English-speaking guide. This tour also takes you through the City of Westminster, uncovering landmarks and stories at the heart of London, offering a personal and insightful experience.
Westminster Abbey & Houses of Parliament: Entry + Guided Tour
Explore Westminster Abbey and step inside the Houses of Parliament on this 4-hour guided tour. Learn centuries of history with a live English-speaking guide and enjoy multilingual audio guides inside Parliament. Access to Parliament is available on selected days.
Westminster, Abbey & Churchill War Rooms: Guided Walking Tour
See 20+ famous London landmarks on a 7-hour guided walking tour, including admission to Westminster Abbey and the Churchill War Rooms. Explore royal history, wartime secrets, and iconic sights with an expert English-speaking guide. Group size is limited to 15 participants.
Westminster Abbey: Entry Ticket
Step inside Westminster Abbey with this entry ticket and explore one of London’s most iconic landmarks. Learn about centuries of royal history with an audio guide available in 12 languages. Please note this is a place of worship, so dress respectfully; children must be accompanied by an adult.
Michal Collection/canvasHighlights
- See the precious Coronation chair, commissioned in 1296 and used at coronations for the last 700 years.
- Visit the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, the poignant final resting place of a soldier killed in World War One.
- Admire Britain’s oldest surviving door near the Chapter House, which dates back to Anglo-Saxon times.
Tickets & Prices
Step into the historical heart of London with a visit to Westminster Abbey, a site of royal coronations, weddings, and funerals since 1066. This magnificent Gothic church is not just a cornerstone of British history but also a living monument where history continues to be made.
- Entry Ticket – Gain access to Westminster Abbey, where you can explore centuries of British history. See the final resting places of 17 monarchs and learn about the Abbey’s pivotal role in the nation’s history through a self-guided audio tour.
- Entry + Guided Tour – Enhance your visit with a guided tour of Westminster Abbey, including the option to explore the Houses of Parliament. Discover the stories behind the coronation chair, walk the aisle of royal weddings, and visit the graves of historical figures like Charles Dickens and Isaac Newton.
- Go City London Explorer Pass – Tailor your London adventure with access to 2 to 7 top attractions over 60 days, including Kensington Palace, plus enjoy additional discounts and a day of hop-on hop-off bus touring.
Things to Keep in Mind
- The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries and Wednesday Lates are not included with the entry ticket but can be added for an additional fee, offering a deeper dive into the Abbey’s treasures.
- Guided tours provide a more in-depth exploration of the Abbey’s history and architecture but do not include transportation to the site.
- Food and beverages are not available within the Abbey, so plan accordingly for meals before or after your visit.
- Comfortable walking shoes are recommended, as tours involve significant walking and standing.
- Photography is restricted in certain areas of the Abbey; please respect all posted signs and guidelines.
More info about Westminster Abbey tickets →
MarioGuti /Getty Images SignaturePlan Your Visit
Westminster Abbey is open to visitors Monday to Saturday. On Sundays it opens for services only. Tourist entry is not available on Sundays.
The table below shows the standard visiting hours that apply across most of the year.
| Days | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday – Friday | 9:30 – 15:30 |
| Saturday | 9:30 – 15:00 |
| Sunday | Services only |
Hours change during bank holidays, the Christmas and New Year period, Holy Week, and Easter. The Abbey also closes at short notice for state ceremonies, royal occasions, and special services. Always check the opening times on the official website before you visit to confirm current hours for your specific date.
The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries are open from 10:00 to 15:00 on most visiting days and require a separate timed ticket.
Tip: Weekday mornings are the quietest time to visit. By early afternoon, particularly in summer, the Abbey is at its busiest.
Westminster Abbey is at Dean’s Yard, London SW1P 3PA, just off Parliament Square in the heart of the city.
- Underground: Westminster station (District and Circle lines) is the closest stop, a 2-minute walk away. Exit onto Parliament Square and the Abbey’s main entrance is directly ahead. The station has step-free access throughout.
- Bus: Multiple routes serve Parliament Square and Victoria Street. Use the TfL Journey Planner for current stops and routes from your starting point.
- Train: London Victoria station (National Rail, Victoria line) is roughly a 15-minute walk east along Victoria Street, or a short bus ride.
- On foot: From Buckingham Palace, it’s about a 10-minute walk along Birdcage Walk toward Parliament Square.
- Car: Driving to Westminster is not recommended. Street parking is extremely limited, and the area has congestion charging. Arrive by public transport if at all possible.
The main visitor entrance is via the North Door, facing Parliament Square. The Great West Door on the western façade is also step-free.
Westminster Abbey has step-free access at both the North Door and the Great West Door. The wheelchair-accessible door is at the North Door only.
Manual wheelchairs are available to borrow free of charge from Abbey Marshals on arrival. Most of the main church is navigable on a level floor, though some chapels and raised areas have steps.
The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries are fully accessible via lift, and borrowed wheelchairs are suitable for use throughout.
Accessible toilets with grab rails are in the Cloisters, reached by a step-free path from the main church or directly through Dean’s Yard.
Westminster Abbey is an active place of worship as well as a visitor attraction, and the two coexist throughout the day.
- Dress respectfully. The Abbey has no strict dress code, but as a working church it expects visitors to dress modestly.
- Photography is allowed in most areas, but flash is not. Some chapels restrict photography entirely, and photography is not permitted during services. Follow the posted signs.
- Keep noise to a minimum. Services take place alongside visitor hours, and parts of the Abbey are used for quiet prayer throughout the day.
- Switch phones to silent before entering.
- No food or drink inside the Abbey. The Cellarium Café and Terrace, just off the Cloisters, serves meals throughout the day.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
What to See and Do
The Royal Tombs
Westminster Abbey has been at the heart of British history for centuries and is the burial place of many Kings and Queens. Behind the altar lies the shrine to Edward the Confessor in whose reign the original Westminster Abbey was built. Other monarchs buried in the Abbey include Queen Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots, Edward VI, and Henry V. Their tombs can be seen around the abbey and offer a fascinating connection to the nation’s past.
Poets Corner
Poets Corner is a pilgrimage for all lovers of literature. Over 100 of Britain’s finest writers and poets are either buried within the abbey or have a memorial here. This includes William Shakespeare, Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Dickens, Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Hardy and Jane Austen. The North aisle of the nave hosts Scientists Corner where Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and Stephen Hawking are among those interred in this area of the abbey.
Chapter House
This stunning octagonal chapel with its vaulted ceiling dates back to the 13th century. This is where the monks would gather to pray and plan their work for the day ahead. Sculptures, wall paintings and striking stained glass windows make for a lavish feel to this room. The wall paintings include the Last Judgement on the East wall which dates back to 1390. It is in the Chapter House you will also see what is believed to be the oldest door in Britain, dating back to Anglo-Saxon times.
Pyx Chamber
This 11th-century room off the East cloister was once used as a treasury. The low vaulted chamber with its medieval tiled floor is one of the oldest parts of Westminster Abbey. Imposing heavy oak doors dating back to the 14th century mark the entrances to the room, while the large medieval chest within would have been used to store vestments. This room is a medieval must-visit area.
The Lady Chapel
The Lady Chapel is a sight to behold and was understandably once described as ‘the wonder of the world.’ This medieval chapel still takes your breath away today with its magnificent fan-vaulted ceiling and stained glass windows. There are 15 monarchs buried in this chapel, including Queen Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots, and the possible remains of the famous Princes in the Tower. The building work on the chapel began during the reign of Henry VII and his imposing tomb can be found at the Eastern end.
Did You Know: (5 interesting facts!)
- The abbey’s official name is the Collegiate Church of St Peter and was designated in 1560 as a ‘Royal Peculiar’, meaning it belongs to the monarch.
- Marble paving known as Cosmati can be found in front of the high altar whose brass letters compose a riddle, including a prediction of when the world will end.
- The famous Stone of Scone used to be held in the abbey and was stolen by 4 Glasgow students on Christmas Eve in 1950, before being found and returned to Westminster.
- Oliver Cromwell was once buried in Westminster Abbey, but the body was removed on the restoration of the monarchy and the head was placed on a spike for all to see.
- The dramatist and poet Ben Jonson is the only person buried in the abbey in a standing-up position, as it is said he could afford just a two-foot square of space.
Ziva_K /Getty Images SignatureHistory
- December 1065 Original Westminster Abbey consecrated.
- Christmas Day 1066 Coronation of William the Conqueror.
- October 1269 A New abbey built in a Gothic architectural style by Henry III is dedicated.
- February 1515 Lady Chapel built by the Tudor king Henry VII is consecrated.
- 1560 Westminster Abbey was given ‘Royal Peculiar’ status, meaning it is not governed by the Church of England.
- 1920 Body of the Unknown Warrior laid to rest in the abbey.
- June 1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
- 2010 Pope Benedict XVI becomes the first Pope to visit Westminster Abbey.
Facilities and Accessibility
There are sections of Westminster Abbey that are not accessible in wheelchairs and to those with reduced mobility. Wheelchair access to the abbey is via the North door which has a small ramped step. Guide dogs, hearing dogs, and assistance dogs are all welcome in the abbey. Accessible toilets can be found in two locations, in the cloisters, and at the Cellarium café.
Multimedia guides are given to visitors to the abbey, with a British Sign Language option available as well as printed transcripts. There is also an audio-described tour available. During services, a hearing loop system is in place which covers the main building of the abbey.
The Cellarium Café and Terrace at Westminster Abbey is set over two floors, serving meals throughout the day. For a light bite or a coffee, there is also the option of a kiosk to buy refreshments. Before leaving the abbey take a look in the Westminster Abbey shop where you will find a selection of souvenirs, gifts, books, and assorted items from the Abbey Collections.