沒到西敏寺別說你來過倫敦

中譯／陳怡君（中央社編譯）

無庸置疑，對於遊客而言，倫敦最迷人與最熱門景點之一是「西敏市聖彼得牧師團教堂」，但由於這個名稱既繞口又「落落長」，大家更為熟悉的名稱是「西敏寺」。西敏寺大教堂建造於7世紀，於1245年重建成當代看到的規模。這棟令人瞠目結舌的哥德式建築，已舉行過16場王室婚禮，也是超過3,300位名人的長眠地，裡面還有一張傳奇性的「加冕椅」，自1308年以來國王或王后的加冕儀式都是在這個寶座舉行。

並不是所有王室婚禮都在西敏寺舉行。事實上，理查二世在1382年大婚後事隔超過500年、直到1919年，才又在這裡舉行帕特麗霞公主和亞歷山大．雷姆瑟（Alexander Ramsay）的婚禮。不過西敏寺史上斥資最高的婚禮之一是威廉王子與凱特．密道頓於2011年4月29日的婚禮，這場婚禮重金砸下3,400萬美元（約新台幣10億6, 763萬元），不惜耗費鉅資，13萬6,000美元的婚戒以及光是花朵布置就要價80萬美元，堪稱西敏寺史上最豪奢的婚禮之一。

雖然有許多知名君王、政治人物與貴族長眠在西敏寺，然而最多遊客造訪的是「詩人之角」，民眾得以在這裡追憶許多作家、演員及藝術家，像是狄更斯、喬叟、丁尼生以及偉大男演員勞倫斯．奧立佛 。最不吉利的墓誌銘堪稱出自莎士比亞筆下，其中一部分寫道：「讓我安息者將得到上帝祝福，遷我屍骨者將受亡靈詛咒。 」藉以警告，要是誰膽敢動到這位全球最偉大作家之一的屍骨，「咒詛」將降臨在這人身上。

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以稱為「加冕椅」較為人所知的愛德華王座，是1308年以來英王加冕典禮的寶座。一塊重達152公斤、稱做「斯昆石」的砂岩被安置在愛德華王座之下。斯昆石在1996年歸還蘇格蘭，但送還的條件是未來英國國王登基的時候，這塊石頭需被運回到西敏寺大教堂的王座之下。 加冕椅是儀式中最具象徵意義的工藝品代表，也是許多迷信與神話故事的主題。但令人驚訝的是，這張椅子曾長期受糟蹋與忽略。在18與19世紀，遊客與合唱團男孩在這張木製椅子刻上名字縮寫與塗鴉。

雖然西敏寺在二戰期飽受戰火蹂躪，幸好當時英國首相邱吉爾堅持要「不計代價救回西敏寺」，因而得以保全至今日。整修人員致力於把超過6萬個沙包堆在墳墓周圍，以及將彩繪玻璃貼上膠布或拿布覆蓋以妥善維護。時至今日，每年有超過3,000萬人參觀西敏寺，來到倫敦一定要造訪西敏寺，才算不虛此行。

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撰文及考題設計／英國文化協會教學團隊

Hands down, one of the most fascinating and popular tourist attractions for visitors to London is officially known as the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster. This name, however, is quite a mouthful, and the building is better known by its nickname, "Westminster Abbey". Founded as a church in the 7th century, construction of the present day site began in 1245. A stunning example of gothic architecture, Westminster Abbey has hosted sixteen royal weddings, serves as the final resting place for over 3300 notable public figures, and houses the legendary Coronation Chair on which all monarchs have been crowned king or queen since 1308.

A Hefty Wedding Bill

Not all royal weddings are held at Westminster Abbey. In fact, Richard II's wedding in 1382 was the last one until over 500 later when Princess Patricia of Connaught wed Alexander Ramsay in 1919. One of the most expensive, however, even in consideration of actual dollar figures over time, was the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29, 2011. With a price tag of over $34 million USD, no expense was spared. A $136,000 wedding ring and over $800,000 just for flowers, made this one of the most lavish celebrations in the Abbey's history.

Do Not Disturb!

While many famous monarchs, politicians, and nobility are buried in Westminster Abbey, the most visited memorials are found in Poet's Corner. Writers, actors, and many artists can be remembered here, including Charles Dickens, Geoffrey Chaucer, Alfred Tennyson, and the great actor, Sir Laurence Olivier. The most ominous of all epitaphs (the writing on the tomb) is arguably Shakespeare's. It reads (in part), "Blessed be the man that spares these stones, And curst be he that moves my bones”, a warning of the "curse" that will follow any who attempt, (and some have suggested it), to examine the remains of one of the world's greatest writers!

Best Seat in the House

King Edward's Chair, better known as the "Coronation Chair", is the throne on which all sovereigns of England have sat (since 1308) at their moment of coronation. Returned to Scotland in 1996 (provided it may be used for future coronations), the Stone of Scone is a 152 kg block of red sandstone that is fitted into the chair. It serves as a symbolic artifact during ceremonies, and is the topic of much mystery and superstition. Surprisingly, the chair has been the victim of some abuse and neglect. In the 18th and 19th centuries, tourists and choir boys appear to have carved their initials and other graffiti into the famous wooden chair.

A Lasting Landmark

Although Westminster Abbey suffered serious damage from bombing during World War II, thanks to the Prime Minister Winston Churchill's insistence that "the abbey be saved at all costs", the structure remains to this day. Rescue crews worked to place over 60,000 sandbags around the tombs, and the stained glass windows were taped over or covered for protection. Today, over 30 million people enter the abbey each year, and no trip to London would be complete without a visit.

1.毫無疑問hands down - without any doubt; widely agreed upon
2.很難表達quite a mouthful - a word, name, or phrase that is very long or difficult to say
3.綽號 nickname - a name that is different from the real name, but what most people use
4.非常賞心悅目的stunning - very beautiful or pleasing
5.哥德式建築gothic architecture - a popular style of building during the medieval period; many castles and churches were built in this tradition
6.重金hefty bill - involving a large（hefty） amount of money
7.不計代價no expense was spared - the cost was not important; a lot of money was spent to make it extremely good
8.豪奢lavish - having a very rich and expensive quality
9.不祥預兆的ominous - suggesting that something bad is going to happen in the future
10.加冕coronation - a ceremony in which a crown is placed on the head of a new king or queen

IELTS Style QuestionsQuestions 1-4: Choose the correct answer.
1. According to the article, the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster is usually called "Westminster Abbey" because
a) the name changed in 1245
b) it started as a church and later became an abbey
c) "Westminster Abbey" is easier to say and most people use this shortened name
d) many famous people are buried here.
2. Shakespeare's tomb warns people not to disturb his remains because
a) something bad could happen in the future
b) so many famous artists are also buried there
c) many people have tried to do so in the past
d) Shakespeare is the greatest writer of all time
3. The Stone of Scone is
a) a permanent feature of the Coronation Chair
b) missing because it was stolen by tourists
c) a symbolic object now used only during coronations
d) an example of graffiti
4. One example of the graffiti carved into the chair includes
a) letters of the names of tourists and choir boys
b) the Stone of Scone
c) topics of mystery and superstition
d) Scottish sandstone carvings

Questions 5-10
Read the passage and look at the following statements.
Write YES if the statement is TRUE
NO if the statement is NOT TRUE
NOT GIVEN (NG) if there is no information about this in the passage
5. Since 1308, almost every king and queen has been crowned in Westminster Abbey. (F)
6. After the marriage Princess Patricia of Connaught and Alexander Ramsay in 1919, a long period of time passed before the next royal wedding in Westminster Abbey. (T)
7. The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton was the most expensive of any wedding held in the UK. (NG)
8. William Shakespeare wanted to warn people after his death that anyone who tried to dig up his final resting place would experience bad things. (T)
9. The Coronation Chair was damaged in World War II, but was saved thanks to Winston Churchill. (F)
10. With over 30 million visitors each year, Westminster Abbey is the most popular tourist attractions in London. (NG)

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