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Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury

4.4
#1 of 170 in Things to do in Canterbury
Must see · World heritage site · Church · Tourist Spot
Dating back to 597, Canterbury Cathedral is the oldest and arguably the most famous Christian structure in the UK. Forming part of a World Heritage Site, the cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the Church of England and symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Reconstructed in 1174 after a devastating fire, the building was greatly enlarged to accommodate the flow of pilgrims visiting the shrine of Thomas Becket, the archbishop who was murdered in the cathedral by the order of King Henry II. A fine example of Gothic architecture, the cathedral is also noted for its collection of over 30,000 books and pamphlets printed before the 20th century. Put Canterbury Cathedral and other Canterbury attractions into our Canterbury trip planner, and watch your holiday take shape.
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Tours to Canterbury Cathedral

FROM $558 BOOK WITH VIATOR Dover Shore Excursion:Post-Cruise Tour to London Stopover Canterbury Cathedral
Duration: 6 hours
Tours from $558 »
FROM $458 BOOK WITH VIATOR Medieval Adventure through Canterbury
Duration: 2 hours
Tours from $458 »
FROM $293 BOOK WITH VIATOR Privately Guided Tour of Canterbury and Canterbury Cathedral
Duration: 3 hours
Tours from $293 »

Canterbury Cathedral reviews

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TripAdvisor traveler rating
TripAdvisor traveler rating 4.5
6,897 reviews
Google
4.5
TripAdvisor
  • By felineluckypunk
    It's a very impressive cathedral with some nice grounds. Most was available to view despite Covid although it was early Sept. As with most fabulous old buildings invariably they're covered in...  more »
  • By RCL222
    I always enjoy visiting this beautiful Cathedral and taking lots of images at different angles to show it’s beauty for others to enjoy.  more »
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Google
  • By Andrew Courtier
    Spectacular and touristy Impressive building which seems even bigger on the inside, despite currently being covered in scaffolding for renovation works. The cathedral precincts outside are pleasantly uncrowded after the bustle of the city centre and inside there were less people than I expected, but it a huge space and easy to lose a crowd. There were a number of staff providing tours but I couldn't see any ordained staff and this was the thing I sensed most, that the cathedral has exchanged it's spirituality for tourism and, if that's the case, then everyone loses, including the tourists.
  • By JP Smith
    A beautiful place lots of work going on and a wedding and a Belgium choir singing which was wonderful. We went on the right day! An amazing cathedral. Beautiful stained glass windows intricate ceiling designs a wonderful history. You must visit this wonderful place.
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