London’s Temple Church

Aline writes: I have long wanted to visit the “Templar” church in London, and on our second try, we actually found it open. It is part of the Temple complex in London, located in the warren of the Middle and Inner Temples, now inhabited primarily by lawyers. You can’t see the church from any street, so you have to know where to look. But I love round churches, and this is a beautiful one.

In the courtyard outside the church, there is a statue of two Templars sharing a horse


The church itself is composed of two parts, the round and the chancel, and was the headquarters of the Knights Templar in England.


The round was built in the 12th century, and was consecrated by the patriarch of Jerusalem, Heraclius, while the chancel was built in the 13th century. Learn more on the fabulous church website, which has several pages on the history of the church.



Here is an inside view from the chancel looking toward the round



And this was taken inside the round




The pictures really don’t do it justice – I found it a serene space that was peaceful and inspiring. And the effigies of the nine knights inside the round, one of them being William the Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, were quite moving.








Finally, this is one example of the different grotesque heads lining the walls of the round



You will just have to visit it yourself!