I’ve had the Temple Church on my to visit list for a while now and I finally got around to it on this most recent trip to London. The London headquarters of the Knights Templar, from where Temple Church took its name, it was consecrated in 1185. The Templar’s churches were always built to a circular design in remembrance of the church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, which certainly makes it a striking building.
The church is somewhat tucked away among the Inns of Court – the professional associations to which all barristers in England and Wales must belong and the buildings and alleyways are interesting to wander around in their own right – though be mindful that these are places of business.
It really is a lovely church, surprisingly spacious with interesting details, not just of the knights in the floor but the faces carved around the sides, each with a different expression.
Like many London churches it was badly damaged by incendiary German bombs in 1941, with the roof of the round church being destroyed and the heat of the fire cracking the marble columns. Reconstruction took a long time with the round church not being redecorated until 1988.
Though there is an entrance fee of £5 it’s definitely worth a visit. You can find more photos here.
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