London architecture: The most beautiful ceilings in the capital

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Ailis Brennan14 May 2018

For centuries, London has been been a playground of architectural flair.

If you want to find the best examples of the capital’s design prowess then it’s a good idea to look up – not only at the city’s skyscrapers, but also at its ceilings.

From mindbogglingly intricate marble work to gallery-worthy paintings, some of the most exceptional examples of artistry in London can be found just above your head.

These are the stunning ceiling designs in the capital that are worth a bit of a stiff neck.

Westminster Abbey

It’s one of the oldest buildings in London and still one of the most breathtaking. Westminster Abbey’s spectacular gothic nave started construction way back in 1245, under the instruction of Henry III. Since then, the incredible vaulted ceiling has looked over 15 royal weddings, the burial of dozens of famous figures, and millions of visitors.

20 Deans Yard, Westminster, SW1P 3PA, westminster-abbey.org

Fitzrovia Chapel

User:Colin/Flickr

It’s not just London’s top tourist attractions that offer sky-high wow factor. This diminutive but stunning chapel used to be a part of now-demolished Middlesex Hospital. Contrary to the austere interior you might expect, its Victorian architect John Loughborough Pearson chose to decorate the interior in a lavish Italian style, with multicolured marbles and mosaics.

2 Pearson Square, W1T 3BF, fitzroviachapel.org

Banqueting House

Miles Willis Photography/Historic Royal Palaces

This royal party venue holds a remarkable place in English history as the venue for the beheading of Charles I. It’s place in art history is also pretty extraordinary, as its ceiling holds nine extraordinary paintings by Peter Paul Rubens, two of which measure at a staggering 40ft by 10ft. In a gruesome twist, it was Charles I who commissioned these now much-famed paintings.

Whitehall, Westminster, SW1A 2ER, hrp.org.uk

Two Temple Place

Tony Buckingham

This ornate mansion is another entry from Victorian architect John Loughborough Pearson, who built it for William Waldorf Astor in 1895. The stain glass windows that bejewel the property are a particular highlight – they’re actually so good that Pearson decided one on the ceiling too, overlooking the stairwell with beautifully illustrated ships, flags and flowers.

2 Temple Place, WC2R 3BD, twotempleplace.org

British Museum

PA Archive/PA Images

It’s not all golden oldies in this list. The Queen Elizabeth II Great Court at the British Museum was opened in 2000, coinciding with the millennial celebrations. At over 3,500m2 the it is the largest covered square in Europe, and what covers it is pretty spectacular. The triangulated glass ceiling bursts out from the central Reading Room, undulating as it fans out to the court’s outer walls.

Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, WC1B 3DG, britishmuseum.org

Blue Drawing Room in Buckingham Palace

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While Buckingham Palace isn’t short of splendour, the Blue Drawing Room has to be one of the most beautiful of its 775 rooms. Originally designed by John Nash, it features the blue flock wallpaper that gives it its name (a later addition made by Queen Mary) and an intricately molded ceiling. Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge seem to be fans - the room hosted their wedding reception in 2011.

Westminster, SW1A 1AA, royal.uk

Natural History Museum

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The Hintze Hall of the Natural History Museum may be known for its skeletal attractions (Dippy the Diplodocus and now Hope the Blue Whale) but don’t forget to look further up. The ceiling is decorated with 161 hand painted panels, illustrated with all things botanical, from lemon trees to opium poppies, rhododendrons to sunflowers.

Cromwell Road, Kensington, SW7 5BD, nhm.ac.uk

St Paul’s Cathedral

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From the outside, the dome of Sir Christopher Wren’s cathedral is one of the most iconic sites in the capital. From the inside, it is arguably even more awe-inspiring, covered with monochromatic paintings of scenes from St Paul’s life by artist James Thornhill. Head up to the dome’s Whispering Gallery to see them up close.

St. Paul's Churchyard, EC4M 8AD, stpauls.co.uk

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

BAPS Media

The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is the biggest Hindu temple outside of India, and was completed in 1995. It is covered, inside and out, with a inconceivably complex design, hand carved by craftsmen out of Italian Carrara and Bulgarian limestone. The glistening white ceilings are naturally no exception.

105-119 Brentfield Rd, NW10 8LD, londonmandir.baps.org

Old Royal Navy College

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When it comes to epic ceilings in London, the Old Royal Navy College has to take the top prize. The ceiling in the Painted Hall covers a staggering 40,000 sq ft, and is entirely covered in a painted design by James Thornhill (of St Paul’s Cathedral fame). The painting depicts 200 figures engaged in a complex narrative, allegorical to the political change the country was experiencing at the time, just as the United Kingdom was being created.

King William Walk, Greenwich, SE10 9NN, ornc.org

The Chapel Royal at Hampton Court

AFP/Getty Images

It was Hampton Court’s most famous resident that installed the vaulted ceiling in the palace’s beautiful Chapel Royal. Henry VIII and the royals that have followed him since have their own dedicated pew in the chapel. From their first floor seat they get a pretty good view of the exquisite ceiling, decorated in deep blue, a sky peppered with glistening stars.

Molesey, East Molesey KT8 9AU, hrp.org.uk

Leadenhall Market

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From the decidedly regal, to the slightly more domestic. Take a break from your retail therapy at Leadenhall Market to take in the arched glass ceiling above the arcade. Be sure to also gaze up at the central intersection, which is also painted blue and decorated with stars. Fun fact: the market was the setting for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter films.

Gracechurch Street, EC3V 1LT, leadenhallmarket.co.uk

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