Westminster Abbey

Church and state are still formally entwined in England, and this is where you see it: the Abbey is the home of royal coronations, the setting where a monarch's reign formally begins. For political history, head for the north transept, by the visitor entrance, known as Statesmen's Aisle. From the 18th century it filled with monuments to prime ministers, and the statues of Peel, Disraeli, Gladstone and Palmerston stand within a few steps of each other, rivals in life sharing one corner. Gladstone and his wife Catherine are buried in the Abbey too. Sightseeing is ticketed, and on Sundays the Abbey is open for services rather than tours, so plan a weekday or Saturday visit.