Round Church Visitor Centre
The second-oldest building in Cambridge, The Round Church was built around 1130 and is one of only four round churches in the country.
Round Church Visitor Centre
Address: Bridge Street, Cambridge CB2 1UB
Visitor centre opening hours: Weekdays:10am-5pm; Saturdays: 1.30pm-5pm; Sundays: 1.30pm-4pm
Entry prices: £2.50; students and Cambridge residents - £1; under-12s and Cambridge residents with a paying guest - free
Walking tours: Mondays and Thursdays 2pm; Saturdays and Sundays 1.30pm
Walking tour prices: £10 per person; students - £8. Each walk lasts about 90 minutes
Parking: None; nearest car park is Park Street
Toilets: No
Refreshments: None
Officially named The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Cambridge, it is thought to be architecturally inspired by the rotunda in the church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Since 1994 there have been no regular services at the Round Church - the congregation having outgrown the building.
The church now houses exhibitions, and hosts regular walking tours of the city that are run on the weekends. The tour will take you around the centre Cambridge University Colleges and can be booked online, or you can just turn up on the day.
Fans of architecture and history will find something of interest, whether in the church, or the building itself, either as part of the Christian Heritage-run tour, among the virtual displays, or just discovering for yourself. Inside there’s an exhibition ‘The Cambridge Story’ and a video that will give you a great induction to the city and it’s key buildings.
The Round Church is right in the centre of the city, so it’s well worth taking a look, even if it is just from the outside. From there, it’s just a few minutes walk east along Round Church Street to Jesus Green, follow Bridge Street north to watch the punts along the Cam, or walk south a few minutes along St Johns Street to the Backs or Market Square. Take a look at the map below to easily get your bearings.
For more information visit the Round Church Visitor Centre website.
