Visiting Canterbury, South England

Hello friends,

Today I will talk about my visit to Canterbury in the south of England back in June 2008. Canterbury is a a historic English cathedral city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1). Canterbury Cathedral is one of the most famous churches in England, and has some of the most impressive stained glass windows I have ever seen.

Canterbury gained importance as a center for Christianity in the late 6th century, when Augustine, a Benedictine monk, was sent by Pope Gregory the Great on a mission to convert the pagans of Kent. However, when he arrived, Augustine discovered that Christianity was already present in the area. Augustine was welcomed by Queen Bertha, the French wife of the Kentish King Aethelbert, and was named the first Archbishop of Canterbury in 597 (2).

You can feel the history of the place as you walk down its streets. Ancient walls, originally built by the Romans, encircle its medieval center with cobbled streets and timber-framed houses.

The Christchurch Gate to Canterbury Cathedral

Rear view of the Christchurch Gate

St. Augustine's Abbey gateway

Traditional houses of Canterbury

The jewel of Canterbury must arguably be its cathedral. It was founded in 597 by Augustine, who dedicated it to Jesus Christ, the Holy Savior. The cathedral was rebuilt after a fire in 1174, and has been extended during the years (3).

Picture of Canterbury Cathedral from www.canterbury-cathedral.org

The cathedral became the scene of murder of its archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170, who was slaughtered when he conflicted with Henry II, King of England. After his murder, Thomas Becket was canonized, and reports started to circulate about miracles performed on visitors to his tomb, creating the “cult of Becket”. Thousands of people traveled to Canterbury to worship the saint, and significant extensions were made to accommodate the flow of pilgrims visiting the shrine of Becket.

In this post we will have a close look at the exterior of the cathedral, and in the next post we will have a look at the lavish and intricately decorated interior.

Exterior views of the cathedral

These beautiful stone-mullioned windows look stunning from the outside. They certainly inspire awe. I wonder what they look like when the lights are lit inside. Unfortunately, I didn't stay long enough to find out.

The beautiful windows of the cathedral

Walking along the long corridors of the cathedral feels like going back in time. I kept having the impression a monk would suddenly appear, or even Thomas Becket himself.

The stone corridors of the cathedral

The courtyard around the cathedral is very well maintained, and the green foliage complements beautifully the stone artwork.

The courtyard around the cathedral

And that's the end of today's post. In the next post we will go inside the cathedral, and have a look at the dazzling stained windows and the marble tombs.

Thanks for looking, have a good day, and speak to you soon!

References
1.Text from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canterbury.
2.Text from https://uhcanterbury.org/about/what-is-canterbury.
3.Text from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canterbury_Cathedral.