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Religious Sites in London
London offers visitors some spectacular examples of religious architecture as well as a diverse range of religious sites from Jewish synagogues and Protestant cathedrals to Hindu and Buddist temples. The diversity of religious sites reflects the multicultural nature of the city. One of London’s most impressive historic buildings and one of the city’s most famous landmarks is the 17th century St Paul's Cathedral, a Christian cathedral built on Ludgate Hill. The cathedral is constructed in Portland stone in a late Renaissance style and is the seat of the Bishop of London. Visitors can marvel over the cathedrals spectacular architecture and test the accoustics in the whispering Gallery. Another site well worth visiting is the acclaimed Westminster Abbey, the scene of many royal weddings, coronations and burials. The Gothic abbey, home to the Archbishop of Canterbury is steeped in history; it was sanctified in 1065, depicted in the Bayeux Tapestries and played an important role in the religious life of the city after the Norman Conquest.
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All Hallows-by-the-Tower
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Address: Byward Street
Phone: +44 20 7481 29 28
e-mail: parish@ahbtt.org.uk
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Website: http://www.allhallowsbythetower.org.uk/
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The ancient Anglican church All Hallows-by-the-Tower, in London, was erected in AD 675 by the Abbey at Barking, and was named All Hallows Barking, after the Saxon abbey. The church was built over the remains of a Roman building, found in the crypt. During the centuries, All Hallows-by-the-Tower has been rebuilt several times, including in 1649 because of an explosion. The church also required extensive reconstruction after the World War II. Today, its 15th-century outer walls can be seen, as well as its original 17th-century Saxon doorway. Lots of brass also remains in the interior, and three 15th- and 16th-century wooden statues of saints still stand in the church. The church comprises the Undercroft Museum as well.
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Bevis Marks Synagogue
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Address: Bevis Marks Heneage Lane
Phone: +44 20 7626 1274
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Website: http://www.ottolenghi.org/bevis-marks.htm
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The Bevis Marks Synagogue, established in 1701, is the oldest operating synagogue in Britain. The synagogue's most prominent feature is its Renaissance-style ark, located in the centre of the eastern wall of the building. The interiors are lavishly detailed and contain all of the original furnishings. The synagogue also houses mid-17th-century archives.
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East London Mosque
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Address: 46-92 Whitechapel Road
Phone: +44 20 7650 3000
e-mail: info@eastlondonmosque.org.uk
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The East London Mosque, located in the London borough of Tower Hamlets, is one of the largest Mosques in the UK. The mosque also comprises the London Muslim Centre, with two large halls, a seminar suite and primary school. Construction of the East London Mosque was actually conceptualised in 1910. Around 1975, the community raised funds to build the mosque, which was also supported by the king of Saudi Arabia. In 1985, the new East London Mosque was completed, and stands today as one of the most impressive landmarks in London’s East End.
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New West End Synagogue
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Address: St Petersburgh Place
Phone: +44 20 7229 2631
e-mail: nwes@newwestend.org.uk
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The New West End Synagogue, designed by George Audsley of Scotland, is situated at St Petersburgh Place in London, and is one of the oldest operating synagogues in the UK . The synagogue's construction began in 1877 and was completed in 1879. Along with Buckingham Palace and Stonehenge, the synagogue, which accommodates 800 worshippers, was declared a national monument in August 2007, and has been described by the government agency English Heritage as "the architectural high watermark of Anglo-Jewish architecture". The New West End Synagogue provides a full range of communal activities for all ages.
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North London Central Mosque
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Address: 7-11 St Thomas' Road
Phone: +44 20 7424 5252
e-mail: info@nlcentralmosque.com
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The North London Central Mosque, formerly Finsbury Park Mosque, was built in 1990 and is situated in Finsbury Park, in London. The mosque's name was changed to North London Central Mosque in 2005, and today plays an effective role in creating community cohesion and dialogue. The mosque is a member of such local organisations as the Islington Faith Forum and receives support from the community, as well as from local authorities. It is also provides for public visits, community 'open days' and 'awareness weeks', and strives to work with other organisations to promote mainstream Islam, denounce violence, as well as work for peace and integration.
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St Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe
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Address: Queen Victoria Street
Phone: +44 20 7248 7546
e-mail: martin@standrewbythewardrobe.net
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Website: http://www.standrewbythewardrobe.net/
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The Anglican St Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe Church is situated in London, near the Blackfriars station. The church was erected in the 12th Century, and in the 13th Century it was a part of the Baynard’s Castle, an ancient royal residence. The church was moved in 1361, by orders of Edward III, near the Royal Wardrobe, a building which was on what is now Queen Victoria Street. The church was seriously damaged in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and in the World War II. It was re-dedicated in 1961. The plain red brick exterior of the church contrasts with the stone buildings on each side of the street. The impressive interior is aisled, with arcaded bays supported by piers rather than traditional columns. A memorial is displayed in the church in honour of William Shakespeare, who was a member of the parish for some 15 years while he was working at the Blackfriars Theatre nearby.
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St Ethelburga-the-Virgin within Bishopsgate
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Address: Bishopsgate
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The church of St Ethelburga-the-Virgin, dedicated to the 7th-century abbess of Barking, St Ethelburga, is located in Bishopsgate, a ward in the east part of London. The original church erected here, St Adelburga-the-Virgin, dates from around 1250. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and later rebuilt, and also suffered some bomb damage during the World War II. In 1993, the church also saw more destruction from a nearby IRA bomb attack. Today, the church also comprises the St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, which explores the relationship between faith and conflict, and conducts some 100 public events per year. The church's small interior includes a nave and aisle split by an arcade, and its 19th-Hounds ditchentury font displays one of the world's longest palindromes, translated from Greek, 'Cleanse my transgressions, not only my face'.
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St James Garlickhythe
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Address: Garlick Hill
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Website: http://www.stjamesgarlickhythe.org.uk/
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St James Garlickhythe is a parish church in the Vintry ward of London, known as 'Wren’s lantern' because of the amount of light its windows allow in the church. The original church erected here dates from the 12th Century. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666, but later rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren. St James is also the official church of 11 city livery companies. Upon the closing of the monasteries under Henry VIII, St James became a parish church. Although the church was not adversely affected, it was a beneficiary of the demolition of church furnishings associated with the Catholic Rite. During the World War II, the church was heavily damaged by bombs, including the destruction of its clock. Today's church is in the shape of a rectangle, with its tower adjacent to the west and a protruding chancel from the east. It is built of brick and Kentish ragstone, partly stuccoed and faced with Portland stone. Entrance of the church is through a gabled doorway in the tower. A recessed clerestory wall joins the tower by semi-rounded pediments. The south front, on Upper Thames Street, has been the church's main façade since 1971.
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