Abbey of Westminster
the abbey of Westminster is the most known church of London. Its construction started during the 13th century, under Henri III. It is the place of burial of the majority of the kings and Queens of England, and also of the men and the famous women. The “corner of the poets” makes honor with the writers of the kingdom. The near total of the crownings of the English monarchs took place in this abbey.
The true name of the abbey is collegiate church of Saint Pierre . Its name which means “abbey of the west”, came owing to the fact that it was located at the west of the City (in opposition to Eastminster , monastery cistercian which was in the east, beyond the Tour of London). As old French, the abbey named Ouestmoutiers .
It is classified like world heritage by UNESCO since 1987.
History
In the middle of the 11th century, the Anglo-Saxon king Edouard the Confessor makes build his palate on banks of the the Thames near a monastery Benedictine founded at the 10th century. He decides to build a larger abbey dedicated to the apostle holy Pierre. The abbey one is devoted on December 28th, 1065, little before the death of the sovereign. England is invaded by the duke of Normandy William the Conqueror and this one is made crown king d' Angleterre in the abbey one, on December 25th, 1066. At the 13th century, Henri III (1207-1272) decides to rebuild the church in the Gothic style. It is a question for him of following the architectural fashion and of giving to a splendid ECRIN to the burial of Edouard the Confessor: its body is exhumed and placed in a new tomb in 1269. The plans are drawn by Henri of Rheims. In 1376, the architect Henri Yevele entirely remakes the nave. One also owes him of work in the Tour of London and the Palais of Westminster.
Between 1503 and 1519, under the reigns of Henri VII and Henri VIII, one builds the Chapel Lady, called today the vault Henri VII. The artistic Rebirth influence the construction of this part of abbey and the Italian artists works there, like the sculptor Torrigiano. In 1540, the monks Benedictines must leave the monastery, in the context of the reform Anglican. Twenty years later, Elisabeth Ire remelts the monastery by giving him a different statute.
A necropolis royal
Since William the Conqueror, all the English kings are crowned in the abbey one, except for Edouard V and of Edouard VIII. More than 3.000 people are also buried in the church. The tomb of the unknown soldier is close to the Western door.
Description of outside
Frontage
The frontage of the building was carried out by Nicholas Hawksmoor at the 18th century. It presents two large symmetrical towers of Gothic style. The medieval towers were not completed.Description of the interior
The abbey one has a plan in Latin cross, but it underwent several transformations during the centuries; the addition of the Chapel Lady increases it considerably towards the east in XVIe century.Central nave
The nave is the place where the faithful ones at the time of the offices and the ceremonies gather. That of Westminster is relatively narrow (10 meters) but rises with 31 meters above the ground.Edouard vault the Confessor
It is here that are buried the king Edouard the Confessor and other monarchs of the Middle Ages.
Vault Henri VII
In the past Lady Chapel , it was high at the beginning of the 16th century. One can see there the Gisant of the queen Elisabeth I {{Re}} (1558-1603).
Corner of the poets
Located in the brace of the southern transept, the Corner of the poets present of the monuments at the glory of the principal writers of the kingdom (Lewis, Chaucer, Cooleridge, Dickens, Shakespeare, Wordsworth, [[Alexander Pope])
Corner of the statesmen
This place presents commemorative plaques to the glory of the principal statesmen of the kingdom: Clement Attlee, Churchill, Peel.
Corner of the inventors
This place presents commemorative plaques to the glory of the principal inventors of the kingdom: Joule, Stephenson, Watt.
External bonds
- Official site
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Simple: Westminster Abbey
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