Chester Cathedral was originally a Benedictine abbey built on the remains of an earlier Saxon church dedicated to St Werburgh (the city's patron saint); it was shut down in 1540 as part of Henry VIII's Dissolution frenzy, but reconsecrated as a cathedral the following year. Despite a substantial Victorian facelift, the cathedral retains much of its original 12th-century structure. You can amble about freely, but the tours are excellent, as they take you up to the top of the panoramic bell tower.
![The gothic cathedral in Chester, UK](https://lp-cms-production.imgix.net/2022-03/England%20Chester%20posztos%20Shutterstock_77868931%20RFC%20crop.jpg?w=1920&h=640&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cedges&auto=format&q=75)
posztos/Shutterstock
Chester Cathedral
Chester
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Nearby Chester attractions
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