Westminster Abbey Entry Tickets

The Quire

The Quire of Westminster Abbey features wooden stalls along the sides of the central aisle. Rows of red lamps illuminate these structures, which terminate in pointed spires. Tall, clustered stone pillars rise toward the vaulted ceiling, framing the path toward the High Altar sanctuary.

At the lower center, a gold cloth screen covers the lower wall. Above this area, the architecture displays tiered Gothic arches, including a triforium gallery and upper stained-glass windows. This specific internal zone accommodates the choir and clergy members during daily religious services.

Chapter House

A central clustered pillar, composed of multiple slender shafts, supports the weight of the high stone ceiling of the Chapter House at Westminster Abbey. Numerous rib vaults radiate outward from the top of this column, creating a fan-like structure across the vaulting pattern.

Large, multi-light traceried windows encircle the room, incorporating extensive stained glass panels. The stained glass features various colorful heraldic shields, figures, and historical coats of arms illustrating monarchs and patrons.

Ceiling vault

The ceiling vault composition displays a mirrored view of Gothic church architecture. Intersecting stone arches and rib vaulting converge along a central vertical axis, creating a symmetrical pattern. Clustered stone pillars flank both sides of the corridor, extending upward to support the overhead masonry framework.

In the background, two rectangular windows pierce a wall section beneath a wooden roof partition. The arrangement emphasizes the geometric lines, stone shapes, and structural patterns of the vaulting system, and it presents an artificial balance between both sides of the corridor.

West Towers

The West Towers of Westminster Abbey rise against the sky. The stone structure features architectural elements including pointed arches, louvered openings, and corner pinnacles. 

Architects designed these twin towers to complete the western entrance of the church centuries after the initial medieval construction phases. The structures define the exterior profile of the abbey and guide approaching visitors toward the primary doorways. The stonework requires periodic maintenance to withstand environmental conditions and preserve the structural integrity of the site.

The Grave of the Unknown Warrior

The Grave of the Unknown Warrior occupies a section of the nave floor near the west doors of Westminster Abbey. A black Belgian marble slab covers the burial site of an unidentified British soldier from the First World War. Brass letters, melted down from wartime ammunition, form an inscription across the stone surface.

The memorial represents military personnel who died in conflicts without identifiable remains. Heads of state and royal brides routinely place flowers on the marble to mark official visits and national ceremonies.

Photo: "Tomb of the Unknown Warrior" by Mike.

St Edward the Confessor’s Chapel

St Edward the Confessor’s Chapel occupies a central position inside Westminster Abbey, located directly behind the High Altar. King Henry III built this architectural space during the thirteenth century to contain the stone shrine of the Anglo-Saxon monarch.

The monument consists of a Purbeck marble base under a wooden canopy that dates to the sixteenth century. Five kings and three queens rest in stone tombs positioned around the perimeter of this specific chamber. The area attracts historians and pilgrims who study royal genealogy and religious history. The abbey administration restricts public access to the chapel floor to protect the mosaic pavement and maintain the physical stability of the historical site.

Photo: “Edward the Confessor Chapel Westminster Abbey London England” by amanderson2.

Poets' Corner

Poets' Corner occupies the South Transept of Westminster Abbey. This section serves as the burial site and memorial zone for writers, playwrights, and poets from British history. The tradition began in 1400 when the abbey administration buried Geoffrey Chaucer within this area. Over the centuries, the institution added graves and stone monuments to honor literary figures, including Charles Dickens, Edmund Spenser, and Alfred Tennyson.

The space also features wall plaques and stained-glass windows dedicated to authors who rest elsewhere, such as William Shakespeare and Jane Austen. Millions of tourists visit this site annually to examine the floor stones, read the inscriptions, and study the literary heritage of the nation.

Photo: "Monuments & memorials in Poets' Corner, Westminster Abbey, London" by 14GTR.

The Cosmati Pavement

The Cosmati Pavement occupies the sanctuary floor directly in front of the High Altar. Craftsmen from Rome laid this mosaic pavement in 1268 under the orders of King Henry III. The design features geometric patterns constructed from cut pieces of colored marble, porphyry, and glass.

A central circle represents the universe, while accompanying brass inscriptions outline the lifespan of the world. This stone floor serves as the location for British coronation ceremonies, where officials place the Coronation Chair during the service. The abbey administration covers the pavement with carpets during standard operating hours to protect the thirteenth-century materials from foot traffic and environmental wear.

Photo: “Cosmati pavement & high altar, Westminster Abbey, London” by 14GTR.

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries occupy the triforium level of Westminster Abbey, located sixteen meters above the church floor. This exhibition space opened to the public in 2018 after serving for centuries as a storage area. Visitors access the museum section via the Weston Tower, which houses a staircase and an elevator.

The galleries display artifacts from the abbey collection, including manuscripts, royal funeral effigies, and the thirteenth-century Westminster Retable. These objects illustrate the architectural history of the building and its ties to the British monarchy. Tourists purchase a separate timed ticket alongside their general admission to enter this elevated gallery space during visiting hours.

Photo: "Photograph of a display of treasures in the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries" by Jps3.

Closing days & special dates

As a working church, Westminster Abbey closes to sightseeing every Sunday, when it is given over to services that anyone may attend. The Abbey also shuts at short notice for special services, state occasions, funerals and concerts, and major Christian festivals such as Christmas and Easter change the schedule.

Checking the live opening calendar shortly before travelling is the surest way to confirm a chosen date is open.

How to get

Westminster Abbey sits beside Parliament Square, at Dean's Yard, London SW1P 3PA. Visitors reach Westminster Abbey using several public transportation networks in London:

• The London Underground provides proximity to the church gates. Travelers exit at Westminster Station using the Jubilee, District, or Circle lines, which sits near the abbey entrance. Alternatively, passengers utilize St. James’s Park Station on the District and Circle lines to reach the property.
• Multiple London bus routes, including numbers 11, 24, 88, and 148, drop passengers at Parliament Square.
• For commuters utilizing national rail networks, London Victoria and London Waterloo stations operate within a fifteen-minute walk.
• Pedestrians navigate pavements directly from these train terminals to the visitor entrance on Broad Sanctuary.

Entrances

The main visitor entrance is the Great North Door, on the north side of the Abbey facing Parliament Square, where every timed ticket is scanned. Step-free access is available at the west front, the Great West Door, which was reordered in 2024 to remove the steps that once blocked level entry.

Groups arriving together use a separate group entrance, and worshippers attending a service are welcomed through the west door. Security searches operate at the entrance, and each ticket allows a single entry only.