Salisbury Cathedrale - Salisbury, Wiltshire, England
Posted by: 
ToRo61
N 51° 03.898 W 001° 47.824
30U E 584290 N 5657738
Salisbury Cathedral is an elegant Gothic edifice located in Salisbury, about 90 miles southwest of London. Built almost entirely in the 13th century, the cathedral boasts the tallest spire and the largest cloisters in England
Waymark Code: WMGX77
Location: South West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 04/19/2013
Views: 18
Construction on Salisbury Cathedral began in the Early English Gothic style in 1220. The work was completed quickly, resulting in a unity of architecture rarely seen in England. Even after Bishop le Poore moved to Durham, the builders adhered to the original design until its completion.
In accordance with common practice, construction began at the east end and worked west. The Chapel of the Holy Trinity and All Saints was completed in 1225, after which the tomb of St. Osmund was moved there from Old Sarum. Next came the choir, transepts and nave, which were complete by 1258, when the cathedral was consecrated. The elaborate west front was finished in 1255, the cloister in 1270 and the chapter house in 1284.
The only major element to be added later was the famous spire, which came along in 1310-33. But its shape matches the cathedral perfectly and is made from the same stone, quarried from Chilmark 12 miles away. The spire was a daring addition, forcing the structure below to carry a dangerous amount of weight (6,500 tons with the tower). Only a multitude of buttresses, bracing arches and iron ties have kept it from collapsing over the centuries.
The rare harmony of Salisbury Cathedral was damaged by the architect James Wyatt in 1789-92, whose "restorations" included removing the 13th-century choir screen, high altar, stained glass windows and detached bell tower, and rearranging the nave's monuments into rows. Another restoration by Sir George Gilbert Scott in 1859 attempted to put some of it back together again.
What to See: towering central spire, west front with statues, inside nave, oldest working clock, Trinity Chapel, riginal copies of the Magna Carta ...
Name of Source Book: 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler's Life List
Page Location in Source Book: 37
Type of Waymark: Site
Location of Coordinates: Photographed site
Cost of Admission (Parks, Museums, etc.): 6.00 (listed in local currency)
List Available Hours, Dates, Season:
Monday - Saturday: 09:00 - 17:00
Sunday: 12:00 - 16:00
in detail: http://www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/visitor.opening.php
Official Tourism Website: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
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