Canterbury Cathedral
On Gingerguide's self-guided Canterbury audio tour, Canterbury Cathedral is a stop worth about ~90 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type religious
- Suggested visit ~90 min
- Canterbury Canterbury guide
About Canterbury Cathedral
The mother church of the Anglican world, where Thomas Becket was murdered in 1170; a vast Gothic cathedral of soaring nave, ancient glass and the great Bell Harry tower.
Canterbury Cathedral is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, head of the Church of England and symbolic leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. First founded in 597 by Augustine, sent by Pope Gregory the Great, it was rebuilt in the Norman style under Archbishop Lanfranc from about 1070, and its east end was raised again in Gothic after a fire in 1174, by William of Sens and William the Englishman. It measures about 160 metres long, and its central tower, Bell Harry, rises about 72 metres.
On 29 December 1170 Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in the north-west transept by four knights of Henry II; after his canonisation his shrine in the Trinity Chapel became one of medieval Europe's foremost pilgrimage destinations, until it was destroyed in 1538 on the orders of Henry VIII. With St Augustine's Abbey and St Martin's Church, the cathedral forms a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1988.
Did you know? The murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket here in 1170 made Canterbury one of medieval Europe's greatest pilgrimage sites. His shrine drew crowds for over 300 years until Henry VIII had it destroyed in 1538.
How much time do you need at Canterbury Cathedral?
Around ~90 min works well for Canterbury Cathedral — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Canterbury Cathedral?
Yes — Canterbury Cathedral made the cut as one of 13 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Canterbury. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Canterbury
Sources and further reading
Where to check the facts about Canterbury Cathedral and read more:
Day 2 of the Canterbury in 2 days itinerary →
Updated:
Hear the story of Canterbury Cathedral
Preview the Canterbury tour free in the Gingerguide app.