This grandiose, limestone-faced, 16th-century chapel is one of England’s most extraordinary Gothic monuments. During services, the sound of the chapel's famous choir reverberates off the walls and rises to an almost impossibly intricate fan-vaulted ceiling – the world's largest. Think of it as a firework display, expressed as architecture. Check ahead for the latest opening times.
Founded in 1446 as an act of piety by Henry VI, the chapel was only finished by Henry VIII around 1516, and lofty stained-glass windows flank the chapel’s sides, filling the interior with light. The glass is original, reputedly spared from the excesses of England's 17th-century Civil War thanks to a personal order from Oliver Cromwell, himself a Cambridge graduate.
The antechapel and the choir are divided by a superbly carved wooden screen, designed and executed by Peter Stockton for Henry VIII. Look for the king's initials entwined with those of Anne Boleyn on the screen. Beyond, the high altar is framed by Rubens' masterpiece Adoration of the Magi (1634). To the left of the altar in the side chapels, an exhibition charts the construction of this landmark monument.
Under normal circumstances, visitors congregate here for Evensong (5.30pm Monday to Saturday, 10.30am and 3.30pm Sunday). Each Christmas Eve, King’s College Chapel stages the Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols, broadcast globally by the BBC.
