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Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster, which is almost always referred to as Westminster Abbey, is a mainly Gothic church, on the scale of a cathedral, in Westminster, London, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English monarchs.

History

According to tradition, a shrine was first founded here in 616 on a site then known as Thorney Island. It was said to have been miraculously consecrated after a fisherman on the River Thames saw a vision of Saint Peter. While the existence of this shrine is uncertain, the historic Abbey was built by Edward the Confessor between 1045-1050 and was consecrated on December 28, 1065. Its construction originated in Edward's failure to keep a vow to go on a pilgrimage; the Pope suggested that he redeem himself by building an Abbey. Pope The original Abbey, in the Romanesque style that is called "Norman" in England, was built to house Benedictine monks. It was rebuilt in the Gothic style between 1245-1517. The first phase of the rebuilding was organised by Henry III, in Gothic style, as a shrine to honor Edward the Confessor and as a suitably regal setting for Henry's own tomb, under the highest Gothic nave in England. The work was largely finished by the architect Henry Yevele in the reign of King Richard II. Henry VII added a Perpendicular style chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary in 1503 (known as the Henry VII Lady Chapel). Although the Abbey was seized by Henry VIII during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1534, and closed in 1540, becoming a cathedral until 1550, its royal connections saved it from the destruction wrought on most other English abbeys. The expression "robbing Peter to pay Paul" may arise from this period when money meant for the Abbey, which was dedicated to St Peter, was diverted to the treasury of St Paul's Cathedral. It suffered damage during the turbulent 1640s, when it was attacked by Puritan iconoclasts, but was again protected by its close ties to the state during the Commonwealth period. Oliver Cromwell was given an elaborate funeral there in 1658, only to be disinterred in January 1661 and posthumously hanged from a nearby gibbet. 1661 The Abbey was restored to the Benedictines under Queen Mary, but they were again ejected under Queen Elizabeth I in 1559. 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, (that is a church with an attached chapter of canons, headed by a dean). The abbey's two western towers were built between 1722 and 1745 by Nicholas Hawksmoor, constructed from Portland stone to an early example of a Gothic Revival design. Further rebuilding and restoration occurred in the 19th century under Sir George Gilbert Scott. Until the 19th century, Westminster was the third seat of learning in England, after Oxford and Cambridge. It was here that the first third of the King James Bible Old Testament and the last half of the New Testament were translated. The New English Bible was also put together here in the 20th century.

Coronations

Since the Christmas Day coronation of William the Conqueror in 1066, all English monarchs (except Lady Jane Grey, Edward V and Edward VIII, who did not have coronations) have been crowned in the Abbey. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the traditional cleric in the coronation ceremony. St Edward's Chair, the throne on which British sovereigns are seated at the moment of coronation, is housed within the Abbey.

Burials and Memorials

Britishes]] Henry III rebuilt the Abbey in honour of the Royal Saint Edward the Confessor whose memorial and relics were placed in the Sanctuary. Henry III was buried nearby as were the Plantagenet kings of England, their wives and relatives. Subsequently, most Kings and Queens of England were buried here, although Henry VIII and Charles I are buried at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, as are all monarchs and royals since George II. Aristocrats were buried in side chapels and monks and people associated with the Abbey were buried in the Cloisters and other areas. One of these was Geoffrey Chaucer, who was buried here as he had apartments in the Abbey where he was employed as master of the Kings Works. Other poets were buried around Chaucer in what became known as Poets' Corner. Abbey musicians such as Henry Purcell were also buried in their place of work. Subsequently it became an honour to be buried or memorialised here. The practice spread from aristocrats and poets to generals, admirals, politicians, scientists, doctors, etc., etc. These include: Buried Henry Purcell, 1749]] Nave
- Clement Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee
- Angela Georgina Burdett-Coutts
- Charles Darwin
- James Clerk Maxwell
- J.J. Thompson
- Saint Edward the Confessor
- Ben Jonson
- David Livingstone
- Sir Isaac Newton
- Ernest Rutherford, 1st Baron Rutherford
- William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin
- The Unknown Warrior
- George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
- Ludovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of Lennox
- Thomas Tompion
- George Graham North Transept
- William Ewart Gladstone
- William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham
- William Pitt the Younger South Transept William Pitt the Younger Poets' Corner
- Robert Adam
- Robert Browning
- William Camden
- Thomas Campbell
- Geoffrey Chaucer
- William Congreve
- Abraham Cowley
- William Davenant
- Charles Dickens
- John Dryden
- Adam Fox
- David Garrick
- John Gay
- George Frederick Handel
- Thomas Hardy
- Dr Samuel Johnson
- Rudyard Kipling
- Thomas Macaulay
- John Masefield
- Laurence Olivier, Baron Olivier
- Thomas Parr
- Richard Brinsley Sheridan
- Edmund Spenser
- Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson Cloisters
- Aphra Behn North Choir Aisle
- Henry Purcell
- Ralph Vaughan Williams Commemorated Ralph Vaughan Williams
- William Shakespeare, buried Stratford-upon-Avon
- Sir Winston Churchill, buried Bladon, Oxfordshire
- Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, buried Hughenden Manor, Buckinghamshire
- Adam Lindsay Gordon, buried Australia
- Paul Dirac, buried Florida
- Oscar Wilde(in a stained glass window unveiled in 1995)[http://www.infopt.demon.co.uk/westmin.htm]
- Ten 20-century Christian martyrs from across the world are depicted in statues above the Great West Door. Unveiled in 1998, these are, from left to right:
- St. Maximilian Kolbe
- Manche Masemola
- Janani Luwum
- Elizabeth of Russia
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Óscar Romero
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
- Esther John
- Lucian Tapiedi
- Wang Zhiming Removed
The following were buried in the abbey but later removed on the orders of Charles II
- Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector
- Admiral Robert Blake

Schools

Westminster School and Westminster Abbey Choir School are also on the grounds of the Abbey. Westminster School was originally founded by the Benedictine monks in 1179.

Transport

- Nearest London Underground stations:
- St. James's Park (District, Circle lines)
- Westminster (Jubilee, District, Circle lines)

List of Abbots, Deans, and the Bishop of Westminster

Westminster

Gallery

Image:Westminster.abbey.westfront.london.arp.jpg|The west front Image:westminster.abbey.tombofhenry.london.arp.jpg|The tomb of King Henry III in the Abbey. Henry was crowned king at the age of nine, reigning from 1216 to 1272

External links

- [http://www.westminster-abbey.org/ Westminster Abbey]
- Category:World Heritage Sites in England Category:Gothic architecture Category:Churches in London Category:Westminster Category:Visitor attractions in London Category:Abbeys and priories in England ja:ウェストミンスター寺院

Gothic architecture

:See also Gothic art. Gothic architecture is a style of European architecture, particularly associated with cathedrals and other churches, in use during the high and late medieval period, from the 12th century onwards. It was succeeded by Renaissance architecture, a revival of Roman formulas, at varying times in Europe, beginning in Florence in the 15th century. A series of Gothic revivals began in mid-18th century England, triumphed in 19th century Europe and continued, largely for ecclesiastical and university structures, into the 20th century. The term Gothic was originally intended as a stylistic insult since Gothic equated with "barbarian" (ie. uncivilized), but the term has since matured to a neutral description.

Origins

The historical style originated at the abbey church of Saint-Denis in Saint-Denis, near Paris, where it exemplified the vision of Abbot Suger. Suger wanted to create a physical representation of the Heavenly Jerusalem, a building of a high degree of linearity that was suffused with light and color. The first truly Gothic construction was the choir of the church, consecrated in 1144. With thin columns, stained-glass windows, and a sense of verticality with an ethereal look, the choir of Saint-Denis established the elements that would later be elaborated upon during the Gothic period. This style was adopted first in northern France and by the English, and spread throughout France, the Low Countries and parts of Germany and also to Spain and northern Italy. Italy

The term "Gothic"

Gothic architecture has nothing to do with the historical Goths. It was a pejorative term that came to be used as early as the 1530s to describe culture that was considered rude and barbaric. François Rabelais imagines an inscription over the door of his Utopian Abbey of Thélème, "Here enter no hypocrites, bigots..." slipping in a slighting reference to 'Gotz' (rendered as 'Huns' in Thomas Urquhart's English translation) and 'Ostrogotz.' In English 17th century usage, 'Goth' was an equivalent of 'vandal,' a savage despoiler, with a sense of 'Germanic' and so came to be applied to the architectural styles of northern Europe before the revival of antiquity, thus 'Gothic' architecture. "There can be no doubt that the term 'Gothic' as applied to pointed styles of ecclesiastical architecture was used at first contemptuously, and in derision, by those who were ambitious to imitate and revive the Grecian orders of architecture, after the revival of classical literature. Authorities such as Christopher Wren lent their aid in deprecating the old mediæval style, which they termed Gothic, as synonymous with every thing that was barbarous and rude., according to a correspondent in Notes and Queries No. 9. December 29, 1849.

Characteristics

The style emphasizes verticality and features almost skeletal stone structures with great expanses of glass, sharply pointed spires, cluster columns, flying buttresses, ribbed vaults, pointed arches using the ogive shape, and inventive sculptural detail. These features are all the consequence of a focus on large stained glass windows that allowed more light to enter than was possible with older styles. To achieve this, flying buttresses were used to enable higher ceilings and slender columns. Many of these features had already appeared, for example in Durham Cathedral, whose construction started in 1093. 1093 Gothic cathedrals could be highly decorated with statues on the outside and painting on the inside. Both usually told Biblical stories, emphasizing visual typological allegories between Old Testament prophecy and the New Testament. Important Gothic churches could also be severely simple. At the Basilica of Mary Magdalene in Saint-Maximin, Provence (illustration, right), the local traditions of a sober massive Romanesque architecture were strong. The basilica, began in the 13th century under the patronage of Charles of Anjou, was laid out on an ambitious scale (it was never completed all the way to the western entrance front) to accommodate pilgrims that came to venerate relics. Building in the Gothic style continued at the basilica until 1532. In Gothic architecture new technology stands behind the new building style. The Gothic cathedral was supposed to be a microcosm representing the world, and each architectural concept, mainly the loftiness and huge dimensions of the structure, were intended to pass a theological message: the great glory of God versus the smallness and insignificance of the mortal being.

Brick Gothic

Main article: Brick Gothic. Brick Gothic] In Northern Germany, Scandinavia and northern Poland, in areas where native stone was unavailable, simplified provincial gothic churches were built of brick. The resultant style is called Backsteingotik in Germany and Poland. The biggest brick gothik building is the Teutonic Knights Castle of Malbork in Poland and the biggest brick gothic church is the St. Mary's Church, Gdańsk in Gdansk. The most famous example in Denmark is Roskilde Cathedral. Brick gothic buildings were associated with the Hanseatic League and the Teutonic Knights. There are over one hundred brick gothic castles in northern Poland, that were built by the Teutonic Knights. Teutonic Knights

Gothic architecture in England

Fewer examples of secular structures in Gothic style survive. The "Old Palace" at Hatfield, 1497, is the entrance wing, with its imposing gatehouse, which gave access to the protected inner court. This is an example of the last phase of Gothic design in England, still untouched by the Renaissance under way in central Italy. Local building traditions produced a vernacular style that was as important as Gothic in the final appearance. The roofs are tiled in the East Anglian vernacular tradition. Substantial roofs enclose essential storage area in the spacious attics. Gothic elements are the paired lancet windows joined under a molding that threw rainwater away from their sills, and the buttresses between each pier and on the angles of the gatehouse tower, with its fortification references.

Sequence of Gothic styles: France

The designations of styles in French Gothic architecture are as follows:
- Early Gothic
- High Gothic
- Rayonnant
- Late Gothic or Flamboyant style These divisions are effective, but debatable. Because Gothic cathedrals were built over several successive periods, each period not necessarily following the wishes of previous periods, the dominant architectural style changes throughout a particular building. Consequently, it is often difficult to declare one building as a member of a certain era of Gothic architecture. It is more useful to use the terms as descriptors for specific elements within a structure, rather than applying it to the building as a whole. buttress Early Gothic:
- The East end of the Abbey Church of St Denis High Gothic:
- Amiens Cathedral
- The main body of Chartres Cathedral
- Notre-Dame of Laon
- Notre Dame de Paris
- Reims Cathedral Rayonnant:
- The nave of the Abbey Church of St Denis Late Gothic:
- The north tower of Chartres Cathedral
- The rose window of Amiens Cathedral
- The west facade of the Rouen Cathedral
- Church of St. Maclou, Rouen.
- The south transept of the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Beauvais

Sequence of Gothic styles: England

The designations of styles in English architecture still follows conventions of labels given them by antiquaries in the 18th century:
- Early English (ca 1180 - 1275)
- Decorated (ca 1275 - 1380 )
- Perpendicular (ca 1380 - 1520 ). Early English:
- Salisbury Cathedral
- Wells Cathedral
- Westminster Abbey Decorated or "Flamboyant":
- Exeter Cathedral Perpendicular:
- King's College Chapel, Cambridge

Gothic revival

Main article: Gothic revival architecture Gothic revival architecture, architect]] In England, some discrete Gothic details appeared on new construction at Oxford and Cambridge in the late 17th century, and at the archbishop of Canterbury's residence Lambeth Palace, a Gothic hammerbeam roof was built in 1663 to replace a building that had been sacked during the English Civil War. It is not easy to decide whether these instances were Gothic survival or early appearances of Gothic revival,. In England in the mid-18th century, the Gothic style was more widely revived, first as a decorative, whimsical alternative to Rococo that is still conventionally termed 'Gothick', of which Horace Walpole's Twickenham villa "Strawberry Hill" is the familiar example. Then, especially after the 1830s, Gothic was treated more seriously in a series of Gothic revivals (sometimes termed Victorian Gothic or Neo-Gothic). The Houses of Parliament in London are an example of this Gothic revival style, designed by a major exponent of the early Gothic Revival, Augustus Pugin. Another example is the main building of the University of Glasgow designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott. In France, the towering figure of the Gothic Revival was Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, who outdid historical Gothic constructions to create a Gothic as it ought to have been, notably at the fortified city of Carcassonne in the south of France and in some richly fortified keeps for industrial magnates (illustration, left). Viollet-le-Duc compiled and coordinated an Encyclopédie médiévale that was a rich repertory his contemporaries mined for architectural details but also include armor, costume, tools, furniture, weapons and the like. He effected vigorous restoration of crumbling detail of French cathedrals, famously at Notre Dame, many of whose most "Gothic" gargoyles are Viollet-le-Duc's. But he also taught a generation of reform-Gothic designers and showed how to apply Gothic style to thoroughly modern structural materials, especially cast iron.

Gothic in the 20th Century

cast iron in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts]] Neo-Gothic continued to be considered appropriate for churches and college buildings well into the 20th century. Charles Donagh Maginnis's early buildings at Boston College helped establish the prevalence of Collegiate Gothic architecture on American university campuses, such as at Chicago, Princeton and Yale. It was also used, perhaps less appropriately, for early steel skyscrapers. Cass Gilbert produced his 1907 90 West Street building and the 1914 Woolworth Building, both in Manhattan, in a neo-Gothic idiom. It was Raymond Hood's neo-Gothic tower that won the 1922 competition for the Chicago Tribune Tower, a late example of the vertical style that has been called "American Perpendicular Gothic." Another Gothic structure of interest is the jailhouse built in DeRidder, Louisiana in 1914. The iron bars in most of the windows give the structure an eerie appearance. The structure includes shallow arches, dormer windows and has a central tower. It is now on the National Register of Historic Places. The National Cathedral is also a neo-Gothic structure. The last prominent Gothic architect in America was probably Ralph Adams Cram, working in the 1910s and 1920s. With partner Bertram Goodhue they produced many good examples, like the sensitive and clever French High Gothic St. Thomas Episcopal Church, New York with its asymmetrical, urban facade in the heart of Manhattan. Working alone, Cram took up the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, what he meant to be the largest cathedral and largest Gothic struture in the world, again in French High Gothic. It remains unfinished. Both St. Thomas and St. John the Divine are built without steel.

List of notable Gothic structures

Cathedral of Saint John the Divine
- France
- Chartres Cathedral
- Bourges Cathedral
- [http://www.beloit.edu/~arthist/historyofart/gothic/bourges.htm Bourges Cathedral]
- Amiens Cathedral
- Notre-Dame de Laon
- Our Lady's Cathedral in Paris (the Notre-Dame for many)
- Reims Cathedral (where all the kings of France were crowned)
- Abbey Church of Saint-Denis
- Sainte-Chapelle in Paris (famous for its colorful stained glass windows) For a list of all Early Gothic buildings in the Paris Basin, see [http://www.johnjames.com.au/medievaldatabase-parischurches-A-B.shtml]
- England
- Westminster Abbey in London
- Ely Cathedral
- York Minster
- Exeter Cathedral
- Salisbury Cathedral
- Wells Cathedral
- King's College Chapel, Cambridge
- Scotland
- Glasgow Cathedral
- Rosslyn Chapel Rosslyn Chapel]
- Spain
- Santa Eulalia de Barcelona, in Barcelona
- La Seu, in Palma (Majorca)
- Cathedral of Burgos, in Burgos
- Cathedral of León, in León
- Cathedral of Murcia, in Murcia
- Cathedral of San Salvador, in Oviedo
- Cathedral of San Salvador, in Zaragoza
- Germany
- Cologne Cathedral
- Ulm Münster (features the highest church tower)
- Freiburg Münster
- Regensburg Cathedral
- Lübeck Marienkirche
- Italy
- Ca' d'Oro, Venice
- Doge's Palace, Venice
- Milan Cathedral, The Duomo
- Siena Cathedral
- Pisa Cathedral
- Orvieto Cathedral
- Belgium
- Bruges City Hall, 1376—1420 Bruges City Hall]]
- The Netherlands
- Sint Jan's Cathedral in 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
- Austria
- Cathedral of Saint Stephan in Vienna
- Poland
- St Mary's Church in Gdańsk (the largest brick church in the world)
- St Mary's Church in Kraków (with the famous Veit Stoss altar carved in wood)
- Wawel Cathedral in Kraków
- City Hall in Toruń
- The Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork
- Slovakia
- St. Martin's Cathedral in Bratislava
- Czech Republic
- Saint Barbara's Church in Kutná Hora (Church of St Barbara picture)
- Charles Bridge in Prague
- Old Town Hall in Prague (Old Town Hall picture)
- St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague
- Croatia
- Zagreb Cathedral
- Russia
- Königsberg Cathedral
- Norway
- Nidaros Cathedral
- Sweden
- Lund Cathedral

Some famous Neo-Gothic structures

Lund Cathedral
- Albert Memorial, London
- Fonthill Abbey
- Gasson Tower and Bapst Library at Boston College
- Harkness Tower at Yale University; 1917-21, James Gamble Rogers, architect
- Palace of Westminster in London, (the Houses of Parliament)
- Scott Monument. Edinburgh
- Santhome Cathedral, Madras (Chennai), India
- St Pancras Station, London
- St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City
- Tribune Tower in Chicago, Illinois
- St. James' Cathedral in Toronto
- University of Glasgow
- PPG Place in Pittsburgh, PA

Structures incorporating Gothic elements

- Brooklyn Bridge

Church

:This article is about the Christian buildings of worship. For other uses of the word, see Church (disambiguation). A church building (or simply church) is a building used in Christian worship. See also altar, altar rails, apse, confessional, dome, lych gate, nave, narthex, pew, pulpit, sanctuary.

Etymology

sanctuary The word church is derived through Middle and Old English cirice, circe from the Greek κυριακον "Lord's". However, most English versions of the New Testament use the word church to translate ecclesia, in Greek ἐκκλησία, literally "the called out" referring to those who are saved and not to a religious assembly. The Scots and Scottish English word kirk has a related etymology and is a cognate. In English, the word can be used in reference to a gathering of people for a religious meeting but is sometimes used to refer to a building or group of buildings. It is also used to refer to a denomination that places the leadership of all congregations in a central location, such as the "Roman Catholic Church"; in this context it is usually capitalized. It can also be used in an institutional sense to refer to all churches, such as "the church today". Although the Christian Bible says that the church is actually the body of believers, in Jewish times, the temple at Jerusalem held the presence of God in a place called the Holy of Holies. After the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Bible says that the Holy Spirit (the presence of God) dwells within each believer.

Origins of Christian places of worship

The architecture of Christian worship space grew out of the regular meetings of the followers of Christianity in private houses and synagogues, and occasionally in catacombs when necessary. When either the size of the community outgrew the space or the complexity of the uses of the space outpaced the architectural adaptation of houses, buildings began to be built specifically for worship. This became much more feasible and common when Constantine stopped the Roman persecution of Christians by issuing the Edict of Milan in 313.

In the first century

The first Christians were, like Jesus, Jews resident in Palestine who worshipped on occasion in the Temple in Jerusalem and weekly in local synagogues. Temple worship was a ritual involving sacrifice, occasionally including the sacrifice of animals in atonement for sin, offered to Yahweh. The New testament includes many references to Jesus visiting the Temple, the first time as an infant with his parents. The early history of the synagogue is controverted, but it seems to be an institution developed for public Jewish worship during the Babylonian captivity when the Jews did not have access to the Jerusalem Temple for ritual sacrifice. Instead, to give a rough summary, they developed a daily and weekly service of readings from the Torah or the prophets followed by commentary. This could be carried out in a house if the attendance was small enough, and in many towns of the Diaspora that was the case. In others more elaborate architectural settings developed, sometimes by converting a house and sometimes by converting a previously public building. The minimum requirements seem to have been a meeting room with adequate seating, a case for the Torah scrolls, and a raised platform for the reader and preacher. Diaspora] Jesus himself participated in this sort of service as a reader and commentator (see Gospel of Luke 4: 16-24) and his followers probably remained worshippers in synagogues in some cities. However, following the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70, the new Christian movement and Judaism increasingly parted ways. The Church became overwhelmingly Gentile sometime in the second century. For the history of how services take place within a church, see worship or do a search on any particular religious denomination that you might be interested in.

Early examples of church architecture

religious denominationThe Syrian city of Dura-Europos on the West bank of the Euphrates was an outpost town between the Roman and Parthian empires. During a siege by Parthian troops in A.D. 257 the buildings in the outermost blocks of the city grid were partially destroyed and filled with rubble to reinforce the city wall. Thus were preserved and securely dated the earliest decorated church and a synagogue decorated with extensive wall paintings. Both had been converted from earlier private buildings. The church at Dura Europos has a special room dedicated for baptisms with a large baptismal font. A common architecture for churches is the shape of a cross (a long central rectangle, with side rectangles, and a rectangle in front for the altar space or sanctuary). These churches also often have a dome or other large vaulted space in the interior to represent or draw attention to the heavens. Other common shapes for churches include a circle, to represent eternity, or an octagon or similar star shape, to represent the church's bringing light to the world. Another common feature is the spire, a tall tower on the "west" end of the church or over the crossing.

Compare

- Basilica
- Cathedral
- Monastery
- Temple
- Chapel
- Parish
- Particular church
- House church
- Stave church
- Church in a pub
- Storefront church
- Double Church

External links

- [http://www.goarch.org/access/Companion_to_Orthodox_Church/art_and_architecture.html Orthodox Art and Architecture]
- [http://followchrist.info/e_church.html The Church]
- [http://www.soca.cjb.net The Syrian Orthodox Church]
- [http://st-takla.org/Coptic-church-1.html The Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt]
- Category:Christianity ja:教会 simple:Church

Westminster

Westminster is a district within the City of Westminster in London. It is the location of the Palace of Westminster and the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Westminster is situated south west of the City of London and half a mile (0.8 km) south west of Charing Cross.

History

The name was historically used to describe the area around Westminster Abbey – the West Minster, or church, that gave the area its name – which has been the seat of the government of England for more than nine hundred years. The name is also used for the larger City of Westminster which covers a wider geographical area and since 1965 has included Marylebone and Paddington. The historic core of Westminster is the former Thorney Island on which Westminster Abbey was built. The Abbey became the traditional venue of the coronation of the kings of England. The nearby Palace of Westminster came to be the principal royal residence after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, and later housed the developing Parliament and law courts of England. Although the monarch had a strong presence in the City of London in the shape of the Tower of London, he did not actually live there (sensibly enough, given London's volatility and insanitary nature). London thus developed two distinct focal points – an economic one in the City of London and a political/cultural one in Westminster, where the Royal Court had its home. This division is still very apparent today. Tower of London The monarchy later moved to other palaces elsewhere in the city, and the law courts have since moved to the Royal Courts of Justice, close to the border of the City of London. The area is still the centre of government, with Parliament now located in the Palace of Westminster and most of the major Government ministries situated in Westminster, centred on Whitehall. "Westminster" is thus often used as shorthand for Parliament and the political community of the United Kingdom generally. The civil service is similarly referred to by the area it inhabits, Whitehall, where there was also once a royal palace. "Westminster" is consequently also used in reference to the Westminster System, the parliamentary model of democratic government that has evolved in the United Kingdom. The Westminster System is used with some adaptation in many other nations, particularly in the Commonwealth of Nations and other parts of the former British Empire. Close to the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey is Westminster School, one of the major English public schools. Three of the four campuses of the University of Westminster are within the borough, although none in Westminster proper. The area has a substantial residential population, a surprisingly large proportion of which is a traditional London working-class community living in council and Peabody Trust estates at the back of Westminster Abbey and off Millbank. Category:Westminster Category:Districts of London ja:ウェストミンスター

Palace of Westminster

The Palace of Westminster, known also as the Houses of Parliament, is where the two Houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (the House of Lords and the House of Commons) conduct their sittings. The Palace lies on the north bank of the River Thames in the London borough of the City of Westminster. The oldest part of the Palace still in existence, Westminster Hall, dates from 1097. The Palace originally served as a royal residence, but no monarch has lived in it since the 16th century. Most of the present structure dates from the 19th century, when the Palace was rebuilt after it was almost entirely destroyed by a fire in 1834. The architect responsible for rebuilding the Palace was Sir Charles Barry, and the building is an example of Gothic revival. One of the Palace's most famous features is the clock tower, a notable London tourist attraction that houses Big Ben and is often but erroneously referred to by that name. The Palace contains over 1,000 rooms, the most important of which are the Chambers of the House of Lords and of the House of Commons. The Palace also includes committee rooms, libraries, lobbies, dining-rooms, bars and gymnasiums. It is the site of important state ceremonies, most notably the State Opening of Parliament. The Palace is very closely associated with the two Houses, as shown by the use of "Westminster" as a metonym for "Parliament."

History

The Palace of Westminster was strategically important during the Middle Ages, as it was located on the banks of the River Thames. Buildings have occupied the site since at least Saxon times. Known in mediæval times as Thorney Island, the site may have been first used for a royal residence by Canute the Great (reigned 1016 to 1035). The penultimate Saxon monarch of England, St Edward the Confessor, built a royal palace in Thorney Island just west of the City of London at about the same time as he built Westminster Abbey (1045 to 1050). Thorney Island and the surrounding area soon became known as Westminster (a contraction of the words "West Monastery"). After the Norman Conquest (1066) King William I established himself at the Tower of London, but later moved to Westminster. Neither the buildings used by the Saxons nor those used by William I, however, survive. The oldest existing parts of the Palace (Westminster Hall and the Great Hall) date from the reign of William I's successor, King William II. The Palace of Westminster was the monarch's principal residence in the late Mediaeval period. As the government of England evolved, many public institutions arose in Westminster. For example, the predecessor of Parliament, the Curia Regis (Royal Council), met in Westminster Hall (though it followed the King when he moved to other palaces). The Model Parliament, the first official Parliament of England, met in the Palace in 1295. Since then, almost all Parliaments have met in the Palace. However, some Parliaments have (for a variety of reasons) met in other locations. Westminster remained the monarch's chief London residence until a fire destroyed part of the structure in 1529. In 1530, King Henry VIII acquired York Palace from Thomas Cardinal Wolsey, a powerful minister who had lost the King's favour. Renaming it the Palace of Whitehall, Henry VIII used it as his principal residence. Although Westminster officially remained a royal palace, it was used by the two Houses of Parliament, and as a law court. As it was originally a royal residence, the Palace did not include any purpose-built chambers for the two Houses. Important state ceremonies, including the State Opening of Parliament, were held in the Painted Chamber. The House of Lords usually met in the White Chamber. The House of Commons, however, did not have a chamber of its own; it sometimes held its debates in the Chapter House of Westminster Abbey. The Commons acquired a permanent home in the Palace—St Stephen's Chapel, a former royal chapel, but only during the reign of Henry VIII's successor, King Edward VI. The Chantries Act 1547 (passed as a part of the Protestant Reformation) dissolved the religious order of the Canons of St Stephen's (among other institutions); thus, the Chapel was left for the Commons' use. Alterations were made to St Stephen's Chapel for the convenience of the lower House. On 16 October 1834, most of the Palace was destroyed by fire. Only Westminster Hall, the Jewel Tower, the crypt of St Stephen's Chapel and the cloisters survived the conflagration. A Royal Commission was appointed to study the rebuilding of the Palace. The Commission decided that the Palace should be rebuilt on the same site, and that its style should be either Gothic or classical. A heated public debate over the proposed styles ensued. Those who preferred the classical style argued that Gothic architecture was too "crude", and therefore inappropriate for Parliament. However, many (including Augustus Pugin) held that Gothic architecture was the true Christian architecture; in contrast, they connected classicism with the pagan Ancient Greeks and Romans. Furthermore, many held that Gothic architecture was Britain's "national" style, whereas they associated classicism with France. In 1836, after studying 97 rival proposals, the Royal Commission chose Charles Barry's plan for a Gothic style palace. The foundation stone was laid in 1840; the Lords' Chamber was completed in 1847, and the Commons' Chamber in 1852 (at which point Barry received a knighthood). Although most of the work had been carried out by 1860, construction was not finished until a decade afterwards. The Palace of Westminster continued to function normally until 1941, when the Commons' Chamber was destroyed by German bombs in the course of the Second World War. Sir Giles Gilbert Scott was commissioned as architect; he chose to preserve the essential features of Sir Charles Barry's design. Work on the Commons' Chamber was completed by 1950.

Exterior

Sir Charles Barry's design for the Palace of Westminster uses the Perpendicular Gothic style, which was originally popular during the 15th century and returned during the Gothic revival of the 19th century. Barry was himself a classical architect, but he was aided by the Gothic architect Augustus Pugin. Westminster Hall, which was built in the 11th century and survived the fire of 1834, was incorporated in Barry's design. Pugin was displeased with the result of the work, especially with the symmetrical layout designed by Barry; he famously remarked, "All Grecian, sir; Tudor details on a classic body."

Stonework

The stonework of the building was originally Anstone, a sand-coloured magnesian limestone quarried in the village of Anston in South Yorkshire. The stone, however, soon began to decay due to pollution. Although such defects were clear as early as 1849, nothing was done for the remainder of the 19th century. During the 1910s, however, it became clear that some of the stonework had to be replaced. In 1928 it was deemed necessary to use Clipsham Stone, a honey-coloured limestone from Rutland, to replace the decayed Anstone. The project began in the 1930s, but was halted due to the Second World War, and completed only during the 1950s. By the 1960s, however, pollution had once again begun to take its toll. A stone conservation and restoration programme began in 1981, and ended in 1994.

Towers

Rutland Sir Charles Barry's Palace of Westminster includes several towers. The tallest is the Victoria Tower 98 m (323 ft), a square tower at the south-western end of the Palace. The tower was named after the reigning monarch at the time of the reconstruction of the Palace, Queen Victoria. The tower is home to the House of Lords' Record Office, which, despite its name, has custody of the records of both Houses of Parliament. Atop the Victoria Tower is an iron flagstaff, from which the Royal Standard (if the Sovereign is present in the Palace) or the Union Flag is flown. At the base of the Victoria Tower is the Sovereign's Entrance to the Palace. The monarch uses this entrance whenever he or she enters the Palace of Westminster for the State Opening of Parliament or for any other official ceremony. Over the middle of the Palace lies the Central Tower. The Central Tower is 91 m (300 ft) tall, making it the shortest of the three principal towers of the Palace. Unlike the other towers, the Central Tower possesses a spire. It stands immediately above the Central Lobby, and is octagonally shaped. At the north-western end of the Palace is the most famous of the towers, which is 96 m (316 ft) tall. The tower houses a large clock known as the Great Clock of Westminster; on each of the four sides of the tower is a large clock face. The tower also houses five bells, which strike the Westminster Chimes every quarter hour. The largest and most famous of the bells is Big Ben (officially, the Great Bell of Westminster), which strikes the hour, and which is the third heaviest bell in England, weighing 13 tons 10 cwt 99 lb (about 13.8 t). Although the term "Big Ben" properly appertains only to the bell, it is often colloquially applied to the whole tower.

Grounds

There are a number of small gardens surrounding the Palace of Westminster. Victoria Tower Gardens is open as a public park along the side of the river south of the palace. Black Rod's Garden (named after the office of Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod) is closed to the public and is used as a private entrance. Old Palace Yard, in front of the Palace, is paved over and covered in concrete security blocks (see security below). Cromwell Green (also on the frontage), New Palace Yard (on the north side) and Speaker's Green (directly north of the Palace) are all fenced off and closed to the public.

Interior

Speaker's Green The Palace of Westminster includes approximately 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases, and 3 miles (5 km) of passageways. The building includes four floors; the ground floor includes offices, dining rooms, and bars. The first floor houses the principal rooms of the Palace, including the Chambers, the lobbies, and the libraries. The Robing Room, the Royal Gallery, the Prince's Chamber, the Lords' Chamber, the Peers' Lobby, the Central Lobby, the Members' Lobby, and the Commons' Chamber all lie in a straight line from south to north, in the order noted. (Westminster Hall lies to a side at the Commons end of the Palace.) The top two floors are used for committee rooms and offices. Formerly, the Palace was formally controlled by the Lord Great Chamberlain, as it was (and remains) a royal residence. In 1965, however, it was decided that each House should control its own rooms. The Speaker and Lord Chancellor exercise control on behalf of their respective Houses. The Lord Great Chamberlain retains custody of certain ceremonial rooms.

Lords Chamber

Lord Great Chamberlain The Chamber of the House of Lords is located in the southern part of the Palace of Westminster. The lavishly decorated room measures 14 by 24 m (45 by 80 ft). The benches in the Chamber, as well as other furnishings in the Lords' side of the Palace, are coloured red. The upper part of the Chamber is decorated by stained glass windows and by six allegorical frescoes representing religion, chivalry and law. The upper part, or the viewing gallery, features a small curtain, around ten inches high. This was constructed in the 1920s to hide the ankles and lower legs of viewing women; fashion was becoming increasingly promiscuous, as they saw it, and the sight of bare legs was deemed unsuitable for Lords. At one end of the Chamber are the ornate gold Canopy and Throne; although the Sovereign may theoretically occupy the Throne during any sitting, he or she attends only the State Opening of Parliament. Other members of the Royal Family who attend the State Opening use Chairs of State next to the Throne. In front of the Throne is the Woolsack, a backless and armless red cushion stuffed with wool, representing the historical importance of the wool trade. The Woolsack is used by the officer presiding over the House (the Lord Chancellor or a deputy). The House's mace, which represents royal authority, is placed on the back of the Woolsack. In front of the Woolsack are the Judges' Woolsack (a larger red cushion occupied by the Law Lords during the State Opening) and the Table of the House (at which the clerks sit). Members of the House occupy red benches on three sides of the Chamber. The benches on the Lord Chancellor's right form the Spiritual Side, and those to his left form the Temporal Side. The Lords Spiritual (archbishops and bishops of the established Church of England) all occupy the Spiritual Side. The Lords Temporal (nobles), however, sit according to party affiliation: members of the Government party sit on the Spiritual Side, whilst those of the Opposition sit on the Temporal Side. Some peers, who have no party affiliation, sit on the benches in the middle of the House opposite the Woolsack; they are accordingly known as cross-benchers. The Lords' Chamber is the site of many important ceremonies, the most important of which is the State Opening of Parliament, which occurs at the beginning of each annual parliamentary session. The Sovereign, seated on the Throne, delivers the Speech from the Throne, outlining the Government's legislative agenda for the upcoming parliamentary session. The Commons do not enter the Chamber; instead, they watch the proceedings from the Bar of the House, just inside the Chamber. A similar ceremony is held at the end of a parliamentary session; the Sovereign, however, does not normally attend, and is instead represented by a group of Lords Commissioners.

Commons Chamber

Lords Commissioners The Chamber of the House of Commons is located at the northern end of the Palace of Westminster. The Chamber measures 14 by 21 m (46 by 68 ft). It is far more austere than the grand Lords' Chamber; the benches, as well as other furnishings in the Commons side of the Palace, are coloured green. Other parliaments in Commonwealth nations have copied the colour scheme under which the Lower House is associated with green, and the Upper House with red. At one end of the Chamber is the Speaker's Chair, a present to Parliament from Australia. In front of the Speaker's Chair is the Table of the House, at which the clerks sit, and on which is placed the Commons' ceremonial mace. There are green benches on either side; members of the Government party occupy benches on the Speaker's right, whilst those of the Opposition occupy benches on the Speaker's left. There are no cross-benches as in the House of Lords. The Chamber is relatively small, and can accommodate only 427 of the 646 Members of Parliament. During Prime Minister's Questions and in major debates Members of Parliament stand at either end of the House. By tradition, the British Sovereign does not enter the Chamber of the House of Commons. The last monarch to enter the Chamber was King Charles I (in 1642); he sought to arrest five Members of Parliament on charges of high treason. When the King asked the Speaker, William Lenthall, if he had any knowledge of the whereabouts of these individuals, Lenthall famously replied: "May it please your Majesty, I have neither eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as the House is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am here." The two red lines on the floor of the House of Commons are, by tradition, two sword lengths and one foot (0.3 m) apart. Protocol dictates that MPs may not cross these lines.

Westminster Hall

Westminster Hall, the oldest extant part of the Palace of Westminster, was erected in 1097. The roof was originally supported by pillars, but, during the reign of King Richard II, it was replaced by a hammerbeam roof designed by Henry Yevele and Hugh Herland. Westminster Hall is one of the largest halls in Europe with an unsupported roof; it measures 21 by 73 m (68 by 240 ft). Hugh Herland Historically, Westminster Hall has served numerous functions. It was primarily used for judicial purposes. It housed three of the most important courts in the land: the Court of King's Bench, the Court of Common Pleas, and the Court of Chancery. In 1873, these courts were amalgamated into the High Court of Justice, which continued to meet in Westminster Hall until it moved to the Royal Courts of Justice in 1882. In addition to regular courts, Westminster Hall also housed important state trials, including impeachment trials and the trial of King Charles I at the end of the English Civil War. Westminster Hall has also served ceremonial functions. From the 12th century to the 19th, coronation banquets honouring new monarchs were held here. The last coronation banquet was that of King George IV (1821); his successor, William IV, abandoned the idea because he deemed it too expensive. Westminster Hall has also been used for lyings-in-state during state funerals and ceremonial funerals. Such an honour is usually reserved for the Sovereign and for their consorts; the only non-royals to receive it in the 20th century were Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts (1914) and Sir Winston Churchill (1965). The most recent lying-in-state was that of HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 2002. The two Houses have presented ceremonial Addresses to the Crown in Westminster Hall on important public occasions. For example, Addresses have been presented at HM The Queen's Silver Jubilee (1977) and Golden Jubilee (2002), the 300th anniversary of the Glorious Revolution (1988), and the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War (1995). Under reforms made in 1999, the House of Commons uses a specially converted room next to Westminster Hall (not the main hall) as an additional debating chamber. (Usually, however, the room is spoken of as a part of Westminster Hall.) The room is shaped like an elongated horseshoe; it stands in contrast with the main Chamber, in which the benches are placed opposite each other. This pattern is meant to reflect the non-partisan nature of the debates held in Westminster Hall. Westminster Hall sittings occur thrice each week; important or controversial matters are typically not discussed.

Other rooms

There are several other important rooms that lie on the first floor of the Palace. At the extreme southern end of the Palace is the Robing Room, the room in which the Sovereign prepares for the State Opening of Parliament by donning official robes and wearing the Imperial State Crown. Paintings in the Robing Room depict scenes from the legend of King Arthur. Immediately next to the Robing Room is the Royal Gallery, which is sometimes used by foreign dignitaries who wish to address both Houses. The walls are decorated by two enormous paintings by Daniel Maclise: "The Death of Nelson" (depicting Lord Nelson's demise at the Battle of Trafalgar) and "The Meeting of Wellington and Blücher" (showing the Duke of Wellington meeting Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher at the Battle of Waterloo). To the immediate south of the Lords Chamber is the Prince's Chamber, a small ante-room used by Members of the Lords. The Prince's Chamber is decorated with paintings of members of the Tudor dynasty. To the immediate north of the Lord's Chamber is the Peers' Lobby, where Lords informally discuss or negotiate matters during sittings of the House. The centrepiece of the Palace of Westminster is the octagonal Central Lobby, which lies immediately beyond the Peers' Lobby. The lobby, which lies immediately below the Central Tower, is adorned with statues of statesmen and with mosaics representing the United Kingdom's constituent nations' patron saints: St George for England, St Andrew for Scotland, St David for Wales, and St Patrick for Northern Ireland. Constituents may meet their Members of Parliament in the Central Lobby. Beyond the Central Lobby, next to the Commons Chamber, lies the Members' Lobby, in which Members of Parliament hold discussions or negotiations. The Members' Lobby contains statues of several former Prime Ministers, including David Lloyd George, Sir Winston Churchill, and Clement Attlee. The Palace of Westminster also includes state apartments for the presiding officers of the two Houses. The Speaker's apartments stand at the northern end of the Palace, whilst the Lord Chancellor's apartments are at the southern end. Each day, the Speaker and Lord Chancellor take part in formal processions from their apartments to their respective Chambers.

Security

The Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod oversees security for the House of Lords, whilst the Serjeant-at-Arms does the same for the House of Commons. These officers, however, have primarily ceremonial roles outside the actual chambers of their respective Houses. Security is the responsibility of the Palace of Westminster Division of the Metropolitan Police, the police force for the Greater London area. Probably the most famous attempt to breach the security of the Palace of Westminster occurred with the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. The plot was an attempt by Roman Catholic extremists to cause an explosion in the Palace of Westminster during the State Opening of Parliament, thereby killing the Protestant King James I, his family, and most of the aristocracy. The plot was discovered, however, when a Roman Catholic nobleman, William Parker, 4th Baron Monteagle, received an anonymous letter warning him not to attend the State Opening. The authorities conducted a search of the Palace, discovered the gunpowder, as well as one of the conspirators, Guy Fawkes. The conspirators were later tried for high treason in Westminster Hall, and were hanged, drawn, and quartered. Since 1605, the Yeomen of the Guard have conducted a ceremonial search of the Palace's cellars prior to each State Opening of Parliament. The previous Palace of Westminster was also the site of a prime ministerial assassination in 1812. Whilst in the lobby of the House of Commons, on his way to a parliamentary inquiry, Spencer Perceval was shot and killed by John Bellingham. Perceval remains the only British Prime Minister to have been assassinated. On the 17 June 1974 a 20 pound (9 kg) bomb planted by the Provisional IRA exploded in Westminster Hall. In 1979 Airey Neave, a prominent Conservative politician, was killed by a car bomb as he drove out of the Palace's new car park. Both the Irish National Liberation Army and the Provisional IRA claimed responsibility for the murder; security forces believe the former were actually responsible. With rising concern about the possibility of a truck full of explosives being driven into the building (despite the effective cessation by that time of Northern Irish terrorism), a series of concrete blocks was placed in the roadway in 2003. Provisional IRA.]] The Palace has also been the site of a number of acts of politically motivated "direct action". In 1970, for example, some individuals threw a canister of tear gas into the Chamber of the House of Commons to protest against conditions in Northern Ireland, and in the same cause in 1978 manure was thrown by, among others, the daughter of Dom Mintoff. Concern about such attacks and a possible chemical or biological attack led to the construction of a glass screen across the Strangers' Gallery in early 2004. The new barrier did not cover the front three rows, which are termed the "Distinguished Strangers' Gallery" and in May of that year protesters from Fathers 4 Justice attacked Prime Minister Tony Blair with flour bombs from this part. In September, five protesters opposed to the proposed ban on fox hunting disrupted the proceedings of the House of Commons by running into the Chamber. Despite such disruptions, members of the public continue to have access to the Galleries.

Culture and tourism

The exterior of the Palace of Westminster—especially the Clock Tower—is one of the most visited tourist attractions in London. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) classifies the Palace of Westminster as a World Heritage Site. It is also a Grade I listed building. There is no casual access to the interior, but it may be seen in a number of ways:
- Viewing debates from the public galleries of the House of Commons or the House of Lords: UK residents may obtain tickets in advance from their MP. It is also possible for both UK residents and overseas visitors to queue for admission on the day, but capacity is limited and there is no guarantee of admission. Only a very small part of the Palace's interior may be seen. Either House may exclude "strangers" if it desires to sit in private.
- Tours during Parliamentary sessions: UK residents may apply to their MP or a peer for a place on a guided tour of Parliament while it is in session. British educational institutions may also arrange a tour through their MP. The system for issuing overseas visitors with permits to tour the Palace while Parliament is in session has been suspended temporarily.
- Summer opening: tours are available during a two-month period during the summer when Parliament is not sitting. These tours are open to both UK residents and overseas visitors. Advance bookings are recommended. [http://www.parliament.uk/visiting/summer_opening.cfm] Since 1 August 2005, it has been illegal to hold a protest within half a mile (1 km) of the Palace without the prior permission of the Metropolitan Police.

References

- Bradley, Simon, and Pevsner, Nikolaus. (2003). The Buildings of England: London 6: Westminster. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press.
- Cooke, Sir Robert. (1987). The Palace of Westminster. London: Burton Skira.
- Fell, Sir Bryan, and K. R. MacKenzie. The Houses of Parliament: A Guide to the Palace of Westminster. (1994). London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
- [http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/g12.pdf House of Commons Information Office. (2003). "Restoration of the Palace of Westminster: 1981–94."]
- [http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/g08.pdf House of Commons Information Office. (2004). "The Gunpowder Plot."]
- [http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/G11.pdf House of Commons Information Office. (2004). "The Palace of Westminster."]
- Jones, Christopher. (1983). The Great Palace: The Story of Parliament. London: British Broadcasting Corporation.
- Port, M. H. (1976). The Houses of Parliament. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press.
- [http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/lj/churchlj/palace_01.shtml Riding, Christine. (2002). "A new Palace of Westminster."]
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/2931044.stm British Broadcasting Corporation. (2003). "Security tightens at Parliament."]

External link

- [http://www.parliament.uk/works/palace.cfm The Palace of Westminster. (2005). Parliament of the United Kingdom, Official Website.] Category:British Royal Residences Category:Grade I listed buildings Category:Legislative buildings Category:National government buildings in London Category:Royal buildings in London Category:Westminster Category:World Heritage Sites in England Category:Visitor attractions in London ja:ウェストミンスター宮殿

List of famous cemeteries

This is a list of famous cemeteries, mausoleums and other places people are buried, world-wide.

Argentina

- La Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires - burial site of Eva Perón, Juan Manuel Fangio
- La Chacarita Cemetery in Buenos Aires, Argentina is the "National Cemetery" where Juan Peron, Carlos Gardel, Hans Langsdorff and other notables are interred.

Australia

- Rookwood Cemetery, (Sydney) - at over 2.8 km², reputedly the largest burial site in the Southern Hemisphere, first used in 1867.
- Karrakatta Cemetery, (Perth) - for people buried in Karrakatta Cemetery, see Category Buried in Karrakatta Cemetery.
- Toowong Cemetery, Brisbane - the oldest and largest Brisbane cemetery, was originally utilised by the earliest colonists. Resting place of author Steele Rudd.
- Waverley Cemetery, (Sydney) - picturesque coastal site, many local historical figures.
- Island of the dead - Port Arthur, Tasmania - early convict graves

Austria

- Zentralfriedhof, Vienna - Famous Austrian singer Wolfgang Ambros wrote "Es lebe der Zentralfriedhof" for its centennial in 1974.
- Kapuzinergruft, Vienna - Final resting place of over 140 members of the House of Habsburg

Belgium

- Schoonselhof Cemetery in Antwerp
- Ixelles Cemetery in Brussels
- Tyne Cot Cemetery near Ypres

Brazil

- Cemitério do Morumbi, Sao Paulo - singer Elis Regina, F1 racer Ayrton Senna,actor and comedian Ronald Golias
- Cemitério São João Batista, Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro. Singer/Actress Carmen Miranda, composer Tom Jobim.

Canada

- Province of Nova Scotia:
- Camp Hill Cemetery, Halifax - burial site for Joseph Howe, Robert Stanfield, Abraham Gesner, amongst others.
- Fairview Cemetery, Halifax - many victims of the RMS Titanic cemetery.
- Mount Olivet Cemetery, Halifax
- Province of New Brunswick:
- Fernhill Cemetery, Saint John - final resting place of several early Canadian statesmen including Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley.
- Province of Quebec:
- Cimetière Notre-Dame-de-Belmont, Sainte-Foy - interred here are politicians Louis-Alexandre Taschereau, Jean Lesage and others.
- Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, Montreal – some of the notables buried here include Maurice Richard, George-Étienne Cartier, Doug Harvey, Pierre Laporte.
- Mount Royal Cemetery, Montreal – final resting place for Sui Sin Far, Anna Leonowens, John Abbott, Mordecai Richler, Sir Arthur Currie, Molson family members, and others.
- Province of Ontario:
- Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa. The burial site includes Sir Robert Borden, Tommy Douglas, Gen. Andrew McNaughton
- Notre Dame Cemetery, Ottawa. Interrments here include Yousuf Karsh, Sir Wilfrid Laurier and Aurel Joliat.
- Cataraqui Cemetery, Kingston - final resting place of Sir John A. Macdonald, Sir Alexander Campbell
- Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto - those interred here include Timothy Eaton, Frederick Banting, Glenn Gould, and others.
- Province of British Columbia
- Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria - final resting place of Sir James Douglas, Emily Carr, Billy Barker and Sir Matthew Baillie Begbie, the "Hanging Judge".
- Province of Alberta
- Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary - Final resting place of Owen Hart, a Professional wrestler and member of the prestigious Hart wrestling family, Dorothy Joudrie, Archibald Wilder, and Everett Johnson.

Chile

- Cementerio General de Chile in Santiago, Chile, is the burial place for all but one of Chile's deceased Presidents including Salvador Allende plus other notables such as singers Víctor Jara and Violeta Parra.

People's Republic of China

- Ancient Tombs at Longtou Mountain
- Mausoleum of Princess Zhenxiao
- Cemetery of Zhaojun, Inner Mongolia
- Mawangdui at Changsha, Hunan
- Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, Xi'an
- Mausoleum of Genghis Khan, Inner Mongolia
- Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, Beijing
- Thirteen Imperial Mausoleums of Ming Dynasty Emperors, Beijing
- Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, Nanjing
- Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Nanjing
- Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng near Wuhan in Hubei province - probably best preserved funeral architecture of the Warring States Period
- Tomb at Yinque at Linyi County, Shandong province
- Zhao Mausoleum, Jiuzong mountain, Shaanxi province

Hong Kong

- Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum - earliest funeral architecture in Hong Kong
- Gallant Garden is the cemetery for civil and public servants who died in service

Czech Republic

- Sedlec ossuary - Kutná Hora
- Old Jewish Cemetery - Prague
- Olsany Cemetery, Prague - the biggest graveyard in the Czech republic
- Vysehrad cemetery, Prague - the Czech Republic's most important cemetery, it is the burial site for Antonin Dvorak, Alfons Mucha and Bedrich Smetana, amongst others.

Denmark

- Roskilde Cathedral in the city of Roskilde is the burial place for most Danish kings and queens
- Assistens Kirkegård in the Nørrebro section of Copenhagen is the burial site for Danish notables such as Hans Christian Andersen and Niels Bohr as well as for several African-American jazz musicians.

- Cimetière de Bagneux, Paris - burial place for Jean Vigo, Gribouille, Alfred Jarry and others.
- Catacombs of Paris, millions of remains in caves and tunnels under the city of Paris.
- Cimetière des Gonards, Versailles, burial place for Edith Wharton, Pierre Napoleon Bonaparte and others.
- Grand Jas Cemetery, Cannes - buried here are Lily Pons, Peter Carl Fabergé, Martine Carol and other celebrities
- Les Invalides, Paris - war heroes including Napoleon
- Cimetière de Montmartre, Paris - resting place of Emile Zola, Edgar Degas, Heinrich Heine, Georges Feydeau, other artists and writers.
- Cimetière du Montparnasse, Paris - serves the great artistic quarter of Montparnasse, including the graves of Charles Baudelaire, Eugène Ionesco, Samuel Beckett, Jean-Paul Sartre, Jean Seberg, Serge Gainsbourg and Man Ray. Pierre Laval and Porfirio Diaz are also buried here.
- Neuilly-sur-Seine community cemetery
- Cimetière de Pantin in Paris is the burial site of the singer Damia, and the Cancan dancer, known as La Goulue, and other notables.
- Cimetière de Passy, Paris - Claude Debussy, Edouard Manet.
- The Panthéon, Paris - France's most honored, including Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
- Cimetière du Père Lachaise, Paris - resting place of famous persons such as Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison and Frederic Chopin. Many French Holocaust victims are buried there.
- Saint Denis Basilica, Paris - burial site for French Royalty.
- Cimetière de Saint-Ouen, Paris - where Joan of Arc was led for the public renunciation of her sins. Some of those buried here are the painters Suzanne Valadon, Jules Pascin, and tennis star, Suzanne Lenglen.
- Cimetière Saint-Vincent, a small cemetery in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris contains the graves of such notables as Arthur Honegger, Marcel Carné, Maurice Utrillo and others.
- Saint Remi Basilica, Reims, Champagne-Ardenne, France
- World War II Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial

Germany

- Bayreuth, Bayreuth Friedhof
- Berlin, Städtischer Friedhof III, Schöneberg. Burial site of Marlene Dietrich and Helmut Newton.
- Berlin, Waldfriedhof, Zehlendorf. Burial site of Willy Brandt and Hildegard Knef.
- Berlin, Zentralfriedhof Friedrichsfelde.
- Hamburg, Friedhof Ohlsdorf
- München, Nordfriedhof
- München, Ostf

Westminster Abbey

History

Coronations

Burials and Memorials

Schools

Transport

List of Abbots, Deans, and the Bishop of Westminster

Gallery

See also

Further reading

External links

Gothic architecture

Origins

The term "Gothic"

Characteristics

Brick Gothic

Gothic architecture in England

Sequence of Gothic styles: France

Sequence of Gothic styles: England

Gothic revival

Gothic in the 20th Century

List of notable Gothic structures

Some famous Neo-Gothic structures

Structures incorporating Gothic elements

See also

Church

Etymology

Origins of Christian places of worship

In the first century

Early examples of church architecture

See also

Compare

External links

Westminster

History

Palace of Westminster

History

Exterior

Stonework

Towers

Grounds

Interior

Lords Chamber

Commons Chamber

Westminster Hall

Other rooms

Security

Culture and tourism

See also

References

External link

List of famous cemeteries

Belgium

Brazil