Where Monarchs Are Crowned and Where They Kept Their Power
Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London are the two most historically significant buildings in England, and they bookend the story of the English monarchy. Every English and British monarch since William the Conqueror in 1066 has been crowned at Westminster Abbey. The Tower is where those monarchs kept their jewels, imprisoned their enemies, and — in some cases — lost their heads. A combined tour of both connects the ceremonial and the coercive sides of royal power in a single day.
The two buildings are roughly 5 kilometres apart — the Abbey in Westminster at the political heart of London, the Tower in the City at the eastern end of the historic centre. The journey between them follows the Thames and passes the Houses of Parliament, the South Bank, St Paul’s, and the City of London — a sequence that a good guide narrates as a connective tissue between the two main sites.
What You’ll Experience
Westminster Abbey is visited as a guided interior tour, typically 45–90 minutes. The Abbey is a working church (services are held daily) and a national monument containing the coronation throne (used at every coronation since 1308), the tombs of 17 monarchs (including Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots, Henry VII, and Edward the Confessor), Poets’ Corner (the burial or memorial site of Chaucer, Dickens, Tennyson, Kipling, and dozens of other literary figures), and the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior. The Gothic architecture — particularly the fan vaulting of the Henry VII Lady Chapel — is among the finest in Europe. A guide’s commentary connects the tombs and monuments into a narrative of English history told through the people buried in its floor.
The Tower of London receives 1.5–2 hours, covering the Crown Jewels, the White Tower, the Bloody Tower, Tower Green, and the guide’s management of queues and routing. The Tower’s stories — the Princes, the Tudor executions, the Ravens — gain additional resonance after the Abbey visit, because you’ve already seen the coronation church where many of the people imprisoned or executed at the Tower were crowned or buried.
The Historical Connection
The pairing is not arbitrary — the Abbey and the Tower are connected by specific historical events that a guide will thread through both visits.
Henry VIII was crowned at Westminster Abbey in 1509 in a ceremony of extraordinary pageantry. Two of his six wives — Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard — were later executed at the Tower and buried in the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula within the Tower walls, their coronation joy concluding in the executioner’s block.
Elizabeth I was crowned at the Abbey in 1559, having been imprisoned in the Tower as a princess by her sister Mary I. She entered the Tower through Traitors’ Gate, fearing she would never leave. The fact that she survived to be crowned and went on to reign for 45 years is one of the most dramatic arcs in English history — and you visit both endpoints in a single day.
The Crown Jewels displayed at the Tower are the same ceremonial objects used at the Abbey coronations. Seeing the coronation throne at the Abbey and then the coronation crown, orb, and sceptre at the Tower completes a picture that neither site alone can provide.
Practical Tips
The Abbey has restricted visiting hours. Westminster Abbey closes to visitors during services (which are frequent) and on Sundays (when it’s a church, not a tourist attraction). Combined tours are scheduled around these restrictions, but check the specific tour’s timing to ensure the Abbey is included as an interior visit, not an exterior stop.
Start at the Abbey, finish at the Tower. The Abbey’s opening hours are more restricted, so visiting it first provides scheduling certainty. The Tower’s longer opening hours give you flexibility for the afternoon visit and the Crown Jewels queue is often shorter in the late afternoon.
The combined tour is a full day. Expect 5–7 hours total including both sites, transport between them, and a lunch break. This is a substantial but rewarding day for visitors with historical interests.
Photography policies differ. The Tower permits photography throughout (except in the Jewel House). Westminster Abbey does not permit photography inside the church. Respect the Abbey’s policy — it’s a functioning place of worship.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to book both sites in advance?
Yes. Both Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London use timed-entry systems, and pre-booking is essential in peak season. A combined tour handles both bookings as part of the package.
Is this combination suitable for children?
Children aged 8 and above typically engage well with both sites — the Abbey has tombs, effigies, and the coronation history, while the Tower has armour, jewels, and ravens. Younger children may find the Abbey’s ecclesiastical content less engaging than the Tower’s more dramatic stories. The combined day is long for small legs; consider whether your children have the stamina for 5–7 hours of guided touring.
How does this compare to a standalone Tower tour?
The standalone Tower tour gives you 2.5–3 hours inside the fortress — maximum depth on the Tower’s history. The Abbey + Tower combination gives you 60–90 minutes at each site — less depth per site but a broader narrative of English monarchy that neither site alone can tell. Choose based on whether the Tower is your sole priority or whether you want the full royal history story.