⛪ London cathedrals: tickets, opening hours and what to see inside

Three main churches of London share the royal history between them. Westminster Abbey and St Margaret's Church stand side by side, while St Paul's Cathedral is in the City, easy to reach by tube. Monarchs have been crowned at the Abbey since 1066, Admiral Nelson and the Duke of Wellington are buried under Christopher Wren's dome, and the modest church next door has served as the parish church of the British Parliament for more than four centuries.

Getting your head around all three churches in a single visit is tricky: each has its own history, its own opening hours, and its own ticket. At the Abbey and the Cathedral, entry is by timed slot only, and the ticket office queues grow by midday. We've put together a short guide to each church: the key facts, ticket prices, and the honest catches.

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Westminster Abbey

💡 In short:

Start with Westminster Abbey: it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with St Margaret's Church.
Book a timed ticket online, because the ticket office sells leftover slots and closes by midday.
Prices and opening hours: as of 09/2026, checked on the official website

Westminster Abbey Chapter House interior with stained glass windows

Westminster Abbey stands on Parliament Square, a couple of hundred meters from Big Ben. You'll spot it by its two Gothic towers built from Portland stone. It is a working church, a royal burial place, and the site of every British coronation since William the Conqueror. Formally, the abbey is not under the Church of England but reports directly to the monarch and holds the rare status of Royal Peculiar.

Together with the Palace of Westminster and St Margaret's Church, the abbey is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (as of 09/2026, World Heritage Centre). Inside there are more than three thousand burials and memorial plaques.

Getting there: Westminster tube station, 300 m on foot (per the map).
Cost: adult ticket around £30, child from £14 (as of 09/2026, abbey price list).
Who it's for: those who want to see the coronation throne and royal tombs in a single visit.
The catch: tourist entry is closed on Sundays, and in high season slots sell out well before the date.

The legend of the fisherman and the first church

Panorama of the Thames at Westminster with buildings along the embankment

The abbey's history begins with a legend. A fisherman working on the Thames saw an image of St Peter above the river. Word spread through the area, and it was decided to build a church on that spot in honor of the apostle. Skeptics have a simple explanation: local fishermen paid the abbey a tax in valuable fish, and the charming story reinforced their obligation to the church.

According to a 7th-century chronicle, the abbey's founders are considered to be Mellitus, Bishop of London, and the first king of Essex. The first wooden church was built around 604. Extensive stone construction around it dates to the 10th century, and the church acquired its current Gothic appearance under Henry III in the 13th century (as of 09/2026, abbey history).

The abbey today

Today the abbey is one of the most visited churches in Britain. Inside you'll see the tombs of monarchs, the chapter house with its medieval tile floor, and the Henry VII Chapel with its fan vaulting. Of the entire medieval monastery, only St Peter's Church survives to this day, and it is still in use.

In summer, the abbey holds concerts of sacred music and choral services every day. Evensong is open to everyone and requires no ticket: it's a legitimate way to get inside for free.

St Paul's Cathedral

St Paul's Cathedral stands on Ludgate Hill, in the historic center of the City of London. Wren's white dome is visible from the Thames embankment, from the Millennium Bridge, and from the South Bank. It is a working church, but tourists enter with tickets, so people come here for both the architecture and the city panorama.

If you want to climb the dome, book a separate timed slot in advance. St Paul's Cathedral tickets with a slot are sold online, and weekend daytime windows sell out fastest.

Five buildings on one site

The current cathedral is already the fifth on this site. The first wooden church was built in 604, stood until 675, and burned down. The second building was constructed of stone in 685, but in 961 it was destroyed by Vikings. The third church was destroyed by the great London fire of 1087.

The fourth cathedral was consecrated in 1240 and was the most monumental structure in Europe of its time. It stood until the Great Fire of 1666. The ruins were not restored; instead, the new project was entrusted to Christopher Wren. The first service was held here in 1697, and the cathedral was considered complete on October 20, 1708, the architect's 76th birthday (as of 09/2026, cathedral history).

The dome, the crypt, and the tombs

Dome of St Paul's Cathedral seen from the roof of One New Change

Wren's dome rises to 111 meters, making it one of the highest points in old London. A climb of 528 steps leads to the Golden Gallery: the ascent is ticketed and opens in a separate time slot. If stairs aren't for you, stay on the cathedral floor, where you can see the mosaics, the organ, and the patterned marble floor.

The crypt holds the remains of Admiral Horatio Nelson and the Duke of Wellington. State farewells for Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher also took place here.

Getting there: St Paul's tube station, a 200 m walk (see map).
Cost: adult ticket around £27, child from £10.50 (as of 09/2026, cathedral price list).
Who it's for: those willing to climb 528 steps for a panorama of London.
The catch: narrow spiral staircases to the dome and a ban on large bags inside, plus ticket sales stop before the doors close.

St Margaret's Church

St Margaret's Church stands between the abbey and the Houses of Parliament. It was founded by Benedictine monks in the 12th century for ordinary parishioners who couldn't fit in the royal abbey. Under the first Tudors the church was rebuilt, and in 1614 it became the parish church of the British Parliament.

The central facade faces Parliament Square and is recognizable by its vertical Gothic tower with four spires. A sundial is mounted on the church's east wall.

The main feature inside is the east window with 16th-century Flemish stained glass. It was made as a gift to honor the marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. The church also houses an organ whose sound is considered among the finest in Britain.

Getting there: between the abbey and Parliament, a 2-minute walk (see map).
Cost: free entry, donations welcome.
Who it's for: those who want to see Flemish stained glass and an organ without a ticket or a queue.
The catch: the church closes during services, and opening hours vary by day (as of 09/2026, official website).

Tickets and opening hours

Church	Adult entry	Open to tourists	Closed
Westminster Abbey	around £30	weekdays 9:30-15:30, later on Wednesdays	Sunday
St Paul's Cathedral	around £27	Monday-Saturday 8:30-16:30	Sunday
St Margaret's Church	free	Tuesday-Friday daytime, shorter on Saturday	Sunday and Monday

The schedule was checked against the churches' official websites in September 2026. Time slots are sold online only, and the abbey ticket office closes by midday in high season. Arrive at opening time: there are almost no queues in the morning.

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⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

Can you visit all three churches in one day?

Yes. The Abbey and St Margaret's Church stand next to each other, and you can reach St Paul's Cathedral by tube from Westminster station (London Underground map). Allow an hour for each church plus time to climb the dome. Start with the Abbey in the morning, and leave Wren's dome for the afternoon.

How much does Westminster Abbey cost?

An adult ticket in 2026 costs around £30, a child ticket from £14 (as of 09/2026, Abbey tickets page). An online ticket is cheaper than at the ticket office and is tied to an entry time slot.

How can you get into St Paul's Cathedral for free?

You can attend a service for free, entry to services is open to all. For sightseeing you need a ticket, around £27 for adults, from £10.50 for children (as of 09/2026, Cathedral tickets page). On Sundays tourists are not admitted, the cathedral is open for worship only.

Where is Poets' Corner?

Poets' Corner occupies the south transept of Westminster Abbey. Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Dickens and Rudyard Kipling are buried there, and on the stones you will find memorial inscriptions to Shakespeare and Jane Austen. No separate ticket is needed for this part of the Abbey, it is included in general admission.

What to see in St Margaret's Church?

The main treasure is inside: the east window with 16th-century Flemish stained glass, a gift in honor of the marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. The church also houses an organ considered one of the finest in Britain. Entry is free, but services sometimes close the church to tourists, so check the schedule in advance.

In short: what to book

If you have one day in London: start with Westminster Abbey, pop into St Margaret's Church next door, and finish at St Paul's Cathedral. If the panorama matters to you, book a slot for Wren's dome in advance. If you are traveling with children, a family ticket to the Abbey is better value, and you can see St Margaret's Church for free.

Tickets for all three churches are easy to compare in one place, and slots for popular dates sell out quickly. Follow the link Find London tours on GetYourGuide and choose a convenient entry time.

Three London churches: what to see, ticket prices and how to skip the line