Cathedrals · South East England
Canterbury Cathedral
Also known as: Ardeaglais Canterbury
Canterbury Cathedral is the cathedral of the archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the Church of England and symbolic leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Located in Canterbury, Ken

Peter Trimming — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1 h–2 h
- Best time of year
- Year-round
About
Canterbury Cathedral is the cathedral of the archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the Church of England and symbolic leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Located in Canterbury, Kent, it is on the site of one of the oldest Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site. Its formal title is the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ, Canterbury. The cathedral was founded in 597 but was completely rebuilt between 1070 and 1077. The east end was greatly enlarged at the beginning of the 12th century, and largely rebuilt in the Gothic style following a fire in 1174, with significant eastward extensions to accommodate the flow of pilgrims visiting the shrine of Thomas Becket, the archbishop who was murdered in the cathedral in 1170. The Norman nave and transepts survived until the late 14th century, when they were demolished to make way for the present structures. Before the English Reformation, the cathedral was part of a Benedictine monastic community known as the Priory of Christ Church, Canterbury, as well as being the seat of the archbishop.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
Canterbury Cathedral is the cathedral of the archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the Church of England and symbolic leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Located in Canterbury, Kent, it is on the site of one of the oldest Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site. Its formal title is the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ, Canterbury. The cathedral was founded in 597 but was completely rebuilt between 1070 and 1077. The east end was greatly enlarged at the beginning of the 12th century, and largely rebuilt in the Gothic style following a fire in 1174, with significant eastward extensions to accommodate the flow of pilgrims visiting the shrine of Thomas Becket, the archbishop who was murdered in the cathedral in 1170. The Norman nave and transepts survived until the late 14th century, when they were demolished to make way for the present structures. Before the English Reformation, the cathedral was part of a Benedictine monastic community known as the Priory of Christ Church, Canterbury, as well as being the seat of the archbishop.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
- Coordinates
- 51.2797, 1.0831
- Address
- Canterbury, Kent
- Established
- 1834
- Official site
- www.canterbury-cathedral.org
Sources
- wikipedia: Canterbury Cathedral (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Featured in these 8 guides
Itinerary
England's great cathedrals
From Norman austerity at Durham to Wren's dome at St Paul's.
Itinerary
Every UNESCO World Heritage Site in the UK
Thirty-three sites of outstanding universal value, from Hadrian's Wall to the Forth Bridge.
Itinerary
Kent: castles, white cliffs, and the Garden of England
Three days of Norman castles, Tudor palaces and Channel coast.
Itinerary
Britain's pilgrim routes
Canterbury, Walsingham, St Davids, Lindisfarne — the country's medieval pilgrim destinations.
Itinerary
The 12 great English cathedrals
From Norman austerity at Durham to Wren's dome at St Paul's.
Itinerary
World Heritage Sites of Great Britain
The most authoritative places in the country.
Other places nearby
Loading nearby places…
Nearby
📷 10UNESCO World Heritage · South East England
Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey, and St Martin's Church
Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey, and St Martin's Church — World Heritage site in Canterbury, Kent, England, UK.
Chapels · South East England
Trinity Chapel
Trinity Chapel — East end of Canterbury Cathedral.
Memorials & monuments · South East England
Lavatory Tower
Lavatory Tower — Grade I listed building-listed memorial in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Chapels · South East England
Prior's Chapel
Prior's Chapel — Grade I listed chapel in Canterbury, Kent, England, UK.
Public art & sculpture · South East England
The Canterbury War Horse
The Canterbury War Horse — a public art in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
Memorials & monuments · South East England
The Buffs
The Buffs — a memorial in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
More cathedrals in this region
📷 5Cathedrals · South East England
Bath Cathedral Priory
Bath Cathedral Priory is a cathedral in the United Kingdom.
📷 5Cathedrals · South East England
Old Minster
Old Minster — former Anglo-Saxon cathedral for the diocese of Wessex.
📷 5Cathedrals · South East England
Old Sarum Cathedral
Old Sarum Cathedral — Grade I listed former cathedral in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, UK.
Cathedrals · South East England
Saddell Abbey
Saddell Abbey is a cathedral in the United Kingdom.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Canterbury Cathedral?
- Canterbury Cathedral is in South East England, in the United Kingdom — coordinates 51.2797°, 1.0831°.
- When was Canterbury Cathedral built?
- Canterbury Cathedral dates to 1834.