Chester Cathedral: Opening Hours, What To See & Map

The cathedral in Chester sits in a dominant position within the city walls and this building is a must see attraction on any visit to the city. Inside, you’ll be exploring over 1000 years of history from the early church and abbey on this site to the magnificent building you see today. We visited at Christmas, which was really special with decorated trees all over the place, but the cathedral has lots to offer at any time of the year. The first thing that strikes you when you enter the main worship space is just how cavernous it is! Then, look up and the ceiling will blow you away. So beautiful and intricate.

There are two ways to make the most of your visit to the cathedral. Each day there are guided tours of the cathedral and the tower above it – check the website for tour times. On the Cathedral Discovery Tour, your guide will explain how the cathedral functions today and how it came to be such a huge structure by delving into its history. Booking is not normally required for this tour. On the Tower Tour, you’ll climb 216 steps through parts of the cathedral that visitors don’t normally see to be greeted by incredible views over Chester city centre and beyond. Along the way you’ll learn about the long history of the building. This tour needs to be booked in advance.

There are many striking features to see inside the cathedral. Look out for gothic lady chapel, the ornate font in the north aisle and the beautiful tiled and mosaic floors. Next, you’ll visit the cloisters of the cathedral which have an attractive central courtyard garden. They’re a relic of the Abbey and rooms from here lead to the large cafe which is a great place to stop for a drink and snack. Also in the cloisters, make sure you notice the stained glass windows. They are 34 of them which were created in the 1920s depicting 147 local people as a permanent memorial to them.

Chester Cathedral is open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 6pm and Sundays from 10am to 5pm. There are occasional closures for services and other events so do check the website before making a special visit. Access to the cathedral is normally free although there is often a fee at Christmas and Advent for special events.