Introduction   Art: world-famous artwork   Science and history: the great museums   Tourism: popular attractions   Royal sights: Buckingham Palace & The Tower   Politics: Big Ben & The Houses of Parliament   Religion: Westminster Abbey & St Paul's   Favourite places: The Zoo & London's Parks		Religion: Westminster Abbey & St Paul's Cathedral Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, next door to the Houses of Parliament, is among the most famous religious buildings in the world. Its main function, of course, is as a place of worship, and services are every day. But the Abbey is the focal point of many of the country's most important national occasions, most recently the memorial service for the British victims of the 11 September attacks in America. Coronations and royal weddings are also held here; so are state funerals. As a consequence, the Abbey is known as the final resting place of most of the former kings and queens of the country since the 13th Century, including Elizabeth I and Henry V. But also interred here are a number of the very greatest of Britain's figures, including Charles Darwin, Oliver Cromwell, and William Wilberforce. There are also a number of memorials to those who sought to be buried elsewhere, such as William Shakespeare. At the exit of the Abbey is the most poignant of all the graves, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which commemorates the sacrifice of all those who died in World War One. Address: Broad Sanctuary, SW1. Tel: +44 (0)207 222 5152. Tube: Westminster St Paul's St Paul's Cathedral is one of the most distinctive buildings on the London skyline due to its enormous lead dome – at night, when the dome is lit, it looks simply magnificent. The current building is the fifth on the site, as it had to be rebuilt entirely after the Great Fire of London in 1666. Both Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington, as well as the Cathedral's designer Sir Christopher Wren, are buried here. Indeed, the Cathedral is believed to have the largest crypt in Europe. Also inside is the famous Whispering Gallery – so-called because the acoustics inside mean words whispered to the wall on one side are clearly audible 100 feet away on the other side of the room. Address: St Paul's Cathedral, Ludgate Hill, EC4. Tel: +44 (0)20 7236 4128. Tube: St Paul's Related links: BBC site: Westminster Hall - Cradle of Parliament Westminster Abbey St Paul's Cathedral

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