Sights in St Albans
- Sort by:
- Popular
-
A
St Albans Cathedral
Set in tranquil grounds away from the din of the main streets, St Albans’ magnificent cathedral began life as a Saxon monastery in 793, built by King Offa of Mercia around the tomb of St Alban. In Norman times, it was completely rebuilt using material from the old Roman town of Verulamium, and then, in the 12th and 13th centuries, Gothic extensions and decorations were added to a structure impressive for its scale alone.
The longest medieval nave in the country gives way to ornate ceilings, semi-lost wall paintings, an elaborate nave screen and, of course, the shrine of St Alban, reconstructed after Reformation and hiding behind a stone reredos. There’s also a…
reviewed
-
B
Verulamium Museum & Roman Ruins
A fantastic expose of everyday life under the Romans, the displays at Verulamium Museum include household objects, legionaries’ armour, statuary, jewellery, glassware and grave goods. The highlight, however, is the Mosaic Room, where five superb mosaic floors, uncovered between 1930 and 1955, are laid out, the most splendid of which is the Shell Mosaic. You can also see re-creations of Roman rooms, and learn about life in the settlement through interactive and audiovisual displays. Every second weekend, the museum is ‘invaded’ by Roman soldiers who demonstrate the tactics and tools of the Roman army.
Adjacent Verulamium Park has remains of a basilica, bathhouse and…
reviewed
-
C
Clock Tower
This fine flint edifice, built around 1410, is England's only medieval clock tower. 'Gabriel' (the original bell) is still there.
reviewed
-
D
Museum of St Albans
For an uncomplicated history of St Albans, this museum does a good job. Exhibits include tools used between 1700 and 1950 by English tradespeople, and artefacts dug up by archaeologists in the city.
reviewed
-
E
Roman Theatre
Across the busy A4147 from Verulamium Park are the grassy foundations of a Roman theatre.
reviewed
-
F
St Alban's Museum
For a potted history of St Albans, take a look at the local museum, which houses displays from Roman times to the present.
reviewed