Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the Church of England and symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Founded in 597 by Saint Augustine, it stands on the site of one of the earliest Christian foundations in England and forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with St Augustine's Abbey and St Martin's Church.
The cathedral is forever associated with the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170, whose shrine made Canterbury one of medieval Europe's greatest pilgrimage destinations, immortalised in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. The present building blends Norman Romanesque crypt and choir with soaring Perpendicular Gothic nave and the great Bell Harry tower, a sweep of architecture spanning many centuries.
Today it remains the mother church of a global communion and a working cathedral with daily worship, alongside its role as a treasured monument. Its medieval stained glass, vaulted spaces and historic associations continue to draw pilgrims and visitors from around the world.
- Annual visitors
- ≈ 1,000,000
- Location
- 51.2797, 1.0831
- Local time
- 23:35 (Europe/London)
🕘 Visiting hours
| Mon–Sat | 10:00–17:00 |
| Sun | 12:30–14:30 |
Sunday limited visiting around services; approximate
✨ Saints & blessed venerated here
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Thomas Becket Saint
Archbishop martyred here in 1170; site of his shrine and martyrdom
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Augustine of Canterbury Saint
First Archbishop, founder of the see in 597
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Dunstan Saint
10th-century Archbishop of Canterbury buried at the cathedral
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Alphege Saint
Archbishop martyred by Vikings in 1012, venerated here
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Anselm of Canterbury Saint
Archbishop and theologian with a dedicated chapel in the cathedral
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Odo of Canterbury Saint
10th-century Archbishop venerated among the cathedral's saintly prelates
Care & donations
The Dean and Chapter of Canterbury
Admission charge for visitors; donations welcomed; free entry for prayer and worship
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