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Temple Church Review

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Temple Church

Address: The Temple, Bloomsbury, London, EC4Y 7BB | Map It
Phone: 020/7353-8559
www.templechurch.com

Category: Religious Sites
Location: Bloomsbury and Legal London

Write a review | Avg. member rating: 1.8/5

Fodor's Review:

Featuring "the Round"—a rare circular nave—this church was built by the Knights Templar in the 12th century. The Red Knights (so called after the red crosses they wore—you can see them in effigy around the nave) held their secret initiation rites in the crypt here. Having started poor, holy, and dedicated to the protection of pilgrims, they grew rich from showers of royal gifts, until in the 14th century they were charged with heresy, blasphemy, and sodomy, thrown into the Tower, and stripped of their wealth. You might suppose the church to be thickly atmospheric, but Victorian and postwar restorers have tamed its air of antique mystery. Still, it's a very fine Gothic-Romanesque church, whose 1240 chancel ("the Oblong") has been accused of perfection.

Open: Wed.-Sat. 11-4, Sun. 1-4; closures for special services
Tube: Temple

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Member Reviews and Ratings

Reviewed by bachslunch from US on 4/6/08
The round end to the nave is unusual, and there are some interesting carvings and effigies as well as some decent and very modernist stained glass. Found it to be of lesser interest than some other second-level churches. Church has very limited hours and didn't open on time either.