Westminster Abbey with Observations on the Differences in Cathedrals in London and Paris

Yesterday we visited Westminster Abbey, which figured so prominently in a recent small wedding ceremony that took place in London you may have heard about.  Like Notre Dame and Chartres, it is an impressive edifice.  However, we did note a significant difference between the cathedrals in Paris and those in London.  In the first place, you are not allowed to take photographs in Westminster.  Having completed the tour I think I know why.  Whereas in Paris the majority of the statuary is devoted to religious figures, in London the statuary is devoted to royalty and the nobility.  I'm hard pressed to remember a single statue of Christ, though I can safely say that I have seen likenesses of most of the royalty and nobility of Britain over the past 600 years.  The no photographs policy may be a reflection that the British are embarrassed by this fact.  A second difference is the fact that the cathedral itself serves as a giant burial ground.

We entered the cathedral through the north transcept.  In this picture you can see the north Rose Window as well as the flying buttresses on this part of the building.

A shot of the two towers at the front of the cathedral taken from the north entrance.

The same shot from the opposite side of the cathedral.  Having toured the main parts of the cathedra, we proceeded to the cloisters, where we were permitted to take a few photographs.

A shot of the cloisters.  This green space is called Cloister Garth.

The Cloisters

This photograph was taken in the College Garden

A shot of the south Rose Window taken from the College Garden

As at most sites we've visited, there have been groups of school children who are receiving instruction either from their teachers or from staff at the sites.  I overheard one such guide explaining that the rose pictured here was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I.

Foxglove in the Little Cloister next to St. Catherine's Chapel

Detail from the wall of the Cloister for St. Catherine's Chapel.  The stones are eroding more than the mortar that holds them together, which creates this interesting effect.

We saw some amazing and historic things in the Abbey.  For example, we saw the tomb of Elizabeth I and Bloody Mary.  That's right, a single tomb.  Elizabeth is interred on top of Mary--though I seriously doubt that was a political statement.  Just to be clear though, the effigy on top of the tomb is that of Elizabeth and not of Mary.  There's just a little note on the floor to indicate she's there.

In a chapel on the opposite side of the cathedral is the tomb of Mary Queen of Scots.  Her son, James I, who succeeded Elizabeth, made certain that her tomb was slightly larger and slightly more grand than that of her cousin, Elizabeth.

A final note:  Jordan pointed out the irony of the fact that Darwin is buried in the cathedral.