Above the main floor space of Westminster Abbey is a newly revamped attic, which had been used as storage room for centuries.
Weston Tower —
The "jewel-like tower" was designed by the Abbey's surveyor, British architect Ptolemey Dean.
The attic space, renamed the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries, was once described by poet John Betjeman as having "the best view in Europe."
Alan Williams
The attic floor sits 52-feet high above the nave where William and Kate got married.
The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries —
During the restoration, numerous artifacts were found, including stained glass shards that are now proudly displayed on the bridge connecting the attic to the new tower.
The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries —
Among the various objects, there's a wide collection of wax effigies.
The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries —
"Our earliest is (of) Charles II, and that predates Madame Tussauds by over 100 years," says head conservator Vanessa Simeoni.
The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries —
Like an archaeological dig, converting the attic into a gallery was meticulous process, according to Westminster Abbey's curator Susan Jenkins.
