The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is also referred to popularly and informally as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in Westminster, London. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English, later British and later still Monarchs of the Commonwealth Realms. It briefly held the status of a cathedral from 1546–1556, and is currently a Royal Peculiar. In 1987, it was nominated to be one of the World Cultural Heritage Sites.
It is said that the Abbey was founded in 616 on Thorn Ey (Thorn Island), where is on the River Thames. Around 1040-1050, King Edward the Confessor built it as his palace. Later, Henry III , who had selected the site for his burial. He rebuilt the Abbey in Anglo-French Gothic style as a shrine to honor St Edward the Confessor and as a suitably regal setting for Henry's tomb, under the highest Gothic nave in England. Building work continued between 1245-1517 and was finished by the architect Henry Yevele in the reign of King Richard II. Then, Henry VII added a Perpendicular style chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1503 , which was known as the Henry VII Chapel.
It is said that the Abbey was founded in 616 on Thorn Ey (Thorn Island), where is on the River Thames. Around 1040-1050, King Edward the Confessor built it as his palace. Later, Henry III , who had selected the site for his burial. He rebuilt the Abbey in Anglo-French Gothic style as a shrine to honor St Edward the Confessor and as a suitably regal setting for Henry's tomb, under the highest Gothic nave in England. Building work continued between 1245-1517 and was finished by the architect Henry Yevele in the reign of King Richard II. Then, Henry VII added a Perpendicular style chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1503 , which was known as the Henry VII Chapel.
Because Henry VII separated the Anglican church from the Roman hierarchy, he controlled the Abbey by himself and had closed it for a long time. However, the Abbey was restored to the Benedictines under the Catholic Queen Mary I, but they were ejected under Queen Elizabeth I in 1559 again. In 1579, Elizabeth re-established Westminster as a "Royal Peculiar"—a church responsible directly to the sovereign, rather than to a diocesan bishop—and made it the Collegiate Church of St Peter. From then on, the abbots didn’t control the Abbey, instead, the deans who were nominated by kings controlled it.
↓the pointed arch and vault ↓ the rose windows
The Abbey is known for its Anglo-French Gothic style, such as the characteristic Gothic features of pointed arches, ribbed vaulting, rose windows and flying buttresses. The design is based on the continental system of geometrical proportion, but its English features include single rather than double aisles and a long nave with wide projecting transepts. The Abbey has the highest Gothic vault in England and it was made to seem higher by making the aisles narrow.
↓the tomb of Queen Mary I, and Queen Elizabeth I ↓Poets' corner
As we know, many kings and queens are buried in the Abbey, such as Henry III,Queen Mary I, and Queen Elizabeth I. Besides, some people of the different careers are also buried in the Abbey, including the nobles, generals, scientists, and writers. Therefore, there is a “Poets’ Corner” which contains many tombs and monuments of famous writers.
After “The Da Vinci Code” was published, many people go to Westminster Abbey to see the tomb of Sir Isaac Newton. According to the book, it is very difficult to find out the tomb, however, if you go to the Abbey, you will know that the tomb is very obvious there.
It has been called King Edward's Chair since the coronations in 1066 of both King Harold and William the Conqueror, and many English and British monarchs have been crowned in the Abbey. King Edward's Chair (or St Edward's Chair), the throne on which British sovereigns are seated at the moment of coronation, is housed within the Abbey and has been used at every coronation since 1308.
written by Kahlen
works with
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"Westminister Abbey." Wikipedia: Westminister Abbey. 2009/1/12
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_Abbey
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Westerminister Abbey. 2009/1/12
www.essential-architecture.com/DAVINCI/DV03.htm
www.essential-architecture.com/DAVINCI/DV03.htm
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