King's College, Cambridge

Many people in the UK are familiar with the inside of Kings College chapel, even those who have never visited Cambridge, as every year at Christmas there is a televised carol service from there

the chapel houses the largest collection of medieval stained glass in the world, this was removed during WWII in case it was damaged in a bombing raid, unfortunately no-one thought to catalogue it, so replacing it became someting of a jigsaw puzzle, the irony of this is that Cambridge was not bombed during the war after all

entry to view the college is £4, but the college is closed to visitors during exam times in late spring, check the web site for details

Seat of learning,spires and the wonderful old tree in the grounds at the front of the college.
If you're like me and not brainy enough to enter the college academically then you can always take a guided tour or stroll around the grounds (after paying the entrance fee).

Kings College Chapel took over a century to build, and was completed in 1547. According to the web site:

It costs the College £1,000 a day to keep the Chapel open for services. Over and above this is the expense of maintaining and repairing the fabric of the Chapel building, its glass, its organ and its furnishings. It is not generally recognised that the College bears these expenses unaided.

If you would like to make a donation, please see the web site for details, and if you are an American, giving could be a new experience for you. If you are a US tax payer, there is an option for tax efficient giving from America. Wow, tax efficient giving. What a concept! (We call it tax-deductible, instead.) Efficiency seems more reasonable, in my opinion. Live and learn.

That is all I can tell you about Kings College, because all I did was take this photograph whilst punting on the Cam. I am just glad the guide pointed out that I could take a much better photo on the way back, and he was right!

There is a Queens College as well, and that is coming up next ...

This one is about one of the few colleges open to public these days, and there are plenty things to see:

- The Fellows' Building
- Henry VI's Statue
- The Chapel
- The Altarpiece by Rubens
- The Screen
- Crown and Tudor Rose
- Stained Glass Windows
- Oragn
- Side chapels
- College's Main Entrance

The Kings College Chapel, with it's lacy stone fan vaulting and soaring stained windows, has been called one of the great rooms in architecture.

Perhaps the Kings Chapel Choir which sings in this magnificent old structure is even more famous than the chapel itself. At least it was with me. I had heard recordings of the choir many many years before I ever came to England. Seeing the awe- inspiring place from which comes some of the world's greatest classical choral music made the visit an especially meaningful one.

It's a bit humbling as an American to ask the age of such a splendid structure and to learn that it dates back to before even the first log hut was ever erected by European settlers in the New World. The cornerstone of Kings Chapel was laid by King Henry VI, on the Feast of St. James, 25 July 1446. The King, who was only 19-years-old at the time, is known today as the "Royal Saint." The chapel took 101 years to complete, in 1547.

The choir also owes its existence to Henry VI who envisaged the daily singing of services in his magificent chapel. There is also the Kings College Chapel Shop, which offers gifts, souvenirs, CDs, and tapes of their world famous choir.

King's College is probably one of the most visited Colleges in Cambridge. Why? Because of its magnificent Perpendicular chapel and the surrounding buildings. On the photo you can see the Gatehouse and the Front Gate to the College. Also, you can see the beautiful Front Court fountain.

First stone laid to this chapel took place in July 25, 1446 by King Henry VI and this beautiful English Gothic chapel was finished by 1515. The interior space is 290 feet long and 40 feet wide. The large space inside gives a huge acoustic, particularly suitable for choral and organ music.

Henry VI founded King's in 1441. The college has an outstanding chapel showing a superb example of Perpendicular architecture. The interior is perfectly proportioned, with wonderful 16th century stained glass and a magnificent Gothic-style fan-vault ceiling. Rubens' "The Adoration of the Magi" adorns the altarpiece. There are often music concerts held at the chapel.