Two Great Cathedrals To Visit In London

Westminster Abbey is a living church where daily life revolves around the pattern of Christian worship, just as it has done for seven centuries. And in addition, Westminster Abbey is the British House of Kings and Queens, where the royal coronations have taken place since 1066 (although this was long before the existing building was constructed).

Westminster Abbey is also the burial place of many of the past Kings and Queens of England and Scotland, as well as many extremely famous men and women from the pages of history. All of this gives Westminster Abbey the aura of a living pageant of British history, reinforced by the mosaic pavements, stained glass, paintings, tombs, textiles and other artefacts on disply. No wonder that Westminster Abbey welcomes one million visitors each year!

But in addition to the Abbey Church itself, visitors who explore the Abbey precincts can see St Margaret's Church - the original Church of the British Parliament, the Houses of Commons and Lords. If you wish to make a half day of your visit, you can take in the Great and Little Cloisters, the astonishing Chapter House and Museum and, when it is open, weather permitting, College Garden.

If you feel in need of a rest after all this exploring, you can revive yourself with tea and coffee in the Abbey cafe, or buy some souvenirs at the Abbey Shop. You'll be glad to know that several tours are available, and there is an audio guide with a choice of eight languages. Alternatively, you can take a tour led by a verger, which lasts for 90 minutes. These informative and entertaining tours start at the North Door and as you would expect visit the most notable features: the Shrines, the Cloisters and the Nave, the Royal Tombs, and of course, Poets' Corner!

The Abbey has special services and a full range of events scheduled including lectures and concerts. Opening hours are from 9.30-17.45 Monday to Saturday, as the church is open for worship only on Sundays. Westminster Abbey, SW1P 3PA Phone: 020 7222 5152

By contrast, St Paul's Cathedral is the fourth London cathedral to occupy its site. It was designed by the court architect Sir Christopher Wren and the construction was finished in 1710. A £40 million restoration scheme has been in place for some time now - and the new facilities will be a great way to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the cathedral in 2010!

For the moment, though, visitors can enjoy a programme of regular worship and sermons. This is the Church of London, where events such as the funeral of Lord Nelson, the memorial service to the Duke of Wellington and the resting place of Sir Winston Churchill have taken place across the centuries.

You may even see a service of remembrance or perhaps a royal commemoration or a magnificent wedding when you visit! Of course most visitors come to see the supreme dome of St Paul's Cathedral, one of the largest cathedral domes ever built, and the one which symbolises London's defiance in the face of Second World War fire bombs. It's an astounding 111.3 metres high.

St Paul's is built to the standard plan of a cross design, with the dome and the famous Whispering Gallery, high above the nave, at the dead centre of the transept. Decorated with glittering mosaics, skilfully carved stonework and breathtaking arches, St Paul's is by any standard a masterpiece of church architecture.

You can enjoy a recorded audio tours at your leisure as you stroll around the building; they come in eight languages and last for about 45 minutes. If you wish to know more about the building, you can book a one hour Triforium Tour which takes in the library, the nave, the Trophy Room - featuring Wren's plans - and the famous geometrical staircase.

General tours of the building are available at 11.00, 11.30, 13.30 and 14.00, and take in the crypt - where you get a real sense of the history of the cathedral. And if you need sustenance, refreshments are available at two venues: the Refectory Restaurant and the Crypt Café.

Opening hours are from 8.30 to 16.00 from Monday to Saturday. St Paul's Cathedral can be contacted by phone on 020 7246 8357 or you can visit their website at: www.stpauls.co.uk