‘Britain’s Valhalla’

Westminster Abbey is also known for commemorating or laying to rest over three thousand of Britain’s most celebrated figures. These include around twenty monarchs, including half-sisters Elizabeth I and Mary I who are unusually buried in the same tomb.

Alongside monarchs, a number of prominent scientists have been buried at the Abbey, such as Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and - more recently - Stephen Hawking. The tombs of numerous famous writers can also be found, including Charles Dickens, Rudyard Kipling, and Geoffrey Chaucer.

Arguably the most important tomb, however, is said to be that of “The Unknown Warrior”. Containing the coffin of an unknown warrior, the tomb has been placed to represent all those who sacrificed their lives for their country, and is placed close to the entrance. Each November, the Abbey hosts a memorial to all of those who have died in war.