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Church

Ely Cathedral

Ely, Cambridgeshire

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Photo: sean forrest

About Ely Cathedral

This magnificent medieval cathedral towers over the Cambridgeshire countryside, offering wheelchair-friendly access to explore its stunning architecture and enjoy refreshments on-site.

What's nearby

  • Minster Tavern Ely next door
  • The Stained Glass Museum next door
  • King's Ely next door

Distances as the crow flies, via Google

Good to know

Accessibility

  • ✓Accessible parking
  • ✓Accessible entrance
  • ✓Accessible toilet

Payment

  • ✓Contactless

Details via Google — worth confirming with the attraction before you travel, especially for access needs.

Photos

Photos via Google

Opening hours

Monday
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Friday
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Sunday
12:00 – 3:00 PM

Current hours may differ from the usual schedule above (e.g. holidays) — check Google Maps for today's hours.

What visitors say

verycoolperson12

This church has a fee to enter which is probably against Christian values but it is definitely worth it if you want to see the architecture as inside is one of the worlds best interiors with all its arches and beautifully painted roof, just looking up at the octagon tower underneath looks absolutely amazing and inside it has a nice chilled vibe, it also has all its beautiful chapels and one with a massive window flooding the room with lovely natural light. Outside is also stunning with its grand west tower and its octagon tower shining in the sun. Would recommend coming.

· via Google

Jim Pitt

I hope you visit Ely Cathedral but mostly I'd encourage you to take advantage of the passion and knowledge of the guides there. The enthuse, entertain, inform and engage in an individually fantastic way. Mark did our ground floor tour and ensured we had a firm grasp of the history and many different stages of building THE biggest cathedral there is. Mostly Norman\Roman with a mixture of Gothic we discovered. His explanation and care in showing us the details that remain from before and after the different stages of building was thoroughly engaging. When the square tower fell due to subsidence while building the biggest existing Lady chapel, the roof literally fell in. He then described the fortifying of the columns to take the tonnes of timer and lead which form the 'lantern' that exists now. We went up there too, another amazing tour guide who's knowledge of the structure was as mind boggling as his name (which I can not recall, sadly. Well, there's two of them and he's the big one. We went up the steps at a perfect pace, allowed to keep our breath and heart rate at an acceptable level. After looking down through the windows of the lantern to the cathedral floor below we climbed again and ended up on the roof where you can literally see for miles... I think he said at least 15 miles! Truly amazing cathedral and brilliant team of guides. Thank you

· via Google

Kate Hobson

Oh my goodness I’ve seen some of the finest cathedrals in the world and Ely is up there with the best of them. What a wonderful experience we had. Absolutely glorious building, we were warmly welcomed and in addition had booked onto the Octagon Tower tour which was guided by Dave. The tour was superb, Dave was extremely knowledgeable and funny with it, definitely not ‘dry’!! A fantastic day Thank you

· via Google

Jacqueline Searle

Stunning windows (plenty to see even if you don’t explore the stained glass museum), loads of history and amazing architecture. Definitely climb the octagon tower/lantern if you get the chance - plenty of stops before you get to the top, and enjoyable even for the vertigo sufferer, provided you love glorious views!

· via Google

See all reviews on Google →

Visitors say this cathedral features stunning architecture, including the unique Octagon Tower and beautiful stained-glass windows, with many finding the audio and guided tours informative. They also highlight the friendly, knowledgeable staff and the peaceful atmosphere. Many mention the annual pass offers good value, and free parking is available nearby.

Summary via Google

At a glance

Address
Chapter House, The College, ELY, CB7 4DL Get directions
Category
Landmarks & Monuments
Guest rating
4.7 / 5 (7,021 reviews)
Suitable for
Ages 4+
Setting
Indoor
Toilets on site
Yes
Destination
Ely