King's College

King’s College stands beside the River Cam in central Cambridge, its buildings facing King’s Parade. Founded in 1441 by Henry VI, it began as a small community of scholars from Eton before becoming a larger college. The chapel, started in 1446, dominates the site and remains one of England’s most admired Gothic buildings. The chapel’s fan vault is the largest in the world, and its stained-glass windows and wooden screen rank among the finest of their time. The Choir of King’s College performs there regularly, and the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is broadcast worldwide every Christmas Eve. Henry VII and Henry VIII later funded its completion, leaving their mark with Tudor symbols. Visitors enter Front Court, a Gothic Revival enclosure completed in 1828 by William Wilkins. The chapel’s east end rises higher than the west, showing where work paused during the Wars of the Roses. Gibbs’ Building, added in the 18th century, closes part of the courtyard, while the riverfront buildings include the library and provost’s lodge.