St Martin-in-the-Fields

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Lonely Planet review

The 'royal parish church' is a delightful fusion of classical and baroque styles that was completed by James Gibbs (1682-1754) in 1726. A around £36 million refurbishment project, completed in October 2007, sees a new entrance pavilion and foyer, several new areas at the rear of the church, including spaces offering social care (many homeless and destitute people rely on the church's help), and a lovely 'contemplative space' accessible to the public.

These are in addition to the main hall, where mass and musical concerts are held, and the famous crypt café. The refurbishment dig-up unearthed a 1.5-tonne limestone Roman sarcophagus containing a human skeleton in the churchyard; the yard also holds the graves of 18th-century artists Reynolds and Hogarth.