Westminster Abbey

Saturday 28 January 2012

                                 

Westminster Abbey or Collegiate Church of St. Peter of Westminster is a Gothic church the size of a cathedral. It is the traditional location for coronations and burials of British monarchs. It is located in Westminster, London, next to the Palace of Westminster.

The historic Abbey was built by Edward the Confessor between 1045 and 1050 and was consecrated on December 28, 1065. Edward built the cathedral, in the absence of a vote in which he promised to make a pilgrimage, the pope advised him to redeem himself by building an abbey.

The original abbey, in Romanesque style, was built by Benedictine monks. It was rebuilt in Gothic style between 1245 and 1517. The first phase of reconstruction was organized by King Henry III as a shrine to Edward the Confessor. The work was completed during the reign of Richard II. Henry VII added a chapel to the Virgin Mary in 1503.

The abbey was returned to the Benedictines under the reign of Queen Mary, who died in 1558 during the reign of Elizabeth I and then buried in the same abbey. In 1579, Elizabeth I making it back in the "Collegiate Church of St. Peter."The two western towers of the abbey was built in 1722 by Christopher Wren and Nicholas Hawksmoor, are made of stone and Portland are an example of the revival of Gothic design. In the nineteenth century were carried out various reforms.
Since the coronation of William the Conqueror in 1066, all English monarchs have been crowned in the abbey, with the exception of Jane Grey, Edward V and Edward VIII. The Archbishop of Canterbury is responsible for performing the ceremony of coronation.
On April 29, 2011, in Abbey wedding took place after a long courtship of eight years, Prince William of Cambridge (Lady Diana's son) and his wife now and future queen, Catherine of Cambridge, the current monarch gave them the title of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. 

Telma Soares 10º B