⛪ Canterbury Cathedral
United Kingdom
About This Sacred Site
Canterbury Cathedral is the mother church of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury. It became England's greatest pilgrimage site after the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170 by knights of Henry II. The shrine of St. Thomas attracted pilgrims for centuries, famously immortalized in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. The cathedral's architecture spans from the Norman crypt to the magnificent Gothic nave, and its stained-glass windows include some of the oldest in England.
Key Facts
- •UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988
- •Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in the cathedral on December 29, 1170
- •Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (c. 1400) immortalized pilgrimages to Becket's shrine
- •Henry VIII destroyed Becket's shrine in 1538 during the dissolution
- •The cathedral has been the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury since 597 CE
Location
Coordinates: 51.2798, 1.0830
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