Tours - Chester Cathedral

Tours

Discover the five available tours for exploration

Browse the opportunities for deeper exploration and understanding of Chester Cathedral.

Tower tour

On this hour long tour, you’ll climb the Cathedral’s 216 steps to the top of the Tower, via various viewing galleries to admire breath-taking views of the Cathedral’s interior.

Along the way, you will catch inspiring views of the Cathedral from an elevated position (perfect photo opportunities!), discover lots about the history of our building and see a view of almost the full length of the Cathedral.

Once at the top (125 feet high), take in the view encompassing of one city, two countries and five counties! You will also visit the former Bell Ringing Chamber, several other secret behind-the-scenes areas, and learn fascinating facts along the way.

Purchase gift vouchers for Tower Tour here.

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Cathedral discovery tour

At first sight, Chester Cathedral can be a very strange place; a massive building which seems to go on forever, with so many nooks and crannies, rooms off passages, dates, odd names for things and a very confusing layout.

So how can a visitor make sense of it all? Well, the answer is to take a guided tour; our knowledgeable guides will make sense of the building, tell you about its history and help you to discover the wealth of riches that make this thousand-year-old building so special.

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Gothic Architecture tour

Join our experienced tour guides for a fascinating journey tracking the development of the Gothic architecture of Chester Cathedral. You will learn to identify this architectural style, see it on show in the Cathedral, and have the opportunity to ask questions as you walk around the building.

No Gothic architecture tours are currently scheduled, please book on to our Cathedral Discovery Tour.

Medieval Quire Stalls tour

Tucked away in the heart of Chester Cathedral, the fourteenth century Quire Stalls are among the finest in the country and admired by all. But why were they built in the first place, and why is there an elephant which looks like a horse carved into them? Join this special tour to learn about the amazing stories behind Chester Cathedral’s famous best loved feature.

No Medieval Quire Stalls tours are currently scheduled, please book on to our Cathedral Discovery Tour.

Stained glass tour

Chester Cathedral has an impressive collection of internationally significant stained glass, ranging from medieval fragments to the 21st century ‘Creation Window’. On this engaging tour you will learn about the makers, designers, and restorers of these magnificent works of art and hear some of the fascinating stories connected to them.

Not sure about the difference between stained from plain glass? No problem! This tour is suitable for absolute beginners and enthusiasts alike.

No Stained Glass tours are currently scheduled, please book on to our Cathedral Discovery Tour.

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It costs £6,000 a day to care for our historic building and to maintain our worship and music tradition. We rely on the kindness and generosity of people like you to power our work.