St Martin-in-the-Fields, Church building in Trafalgar Square, London, United Kingdom.
St Martin-in-the-Fields is a neoclassical place of worship at the northeast corner of Trafalgar Square with a 190-foot spire and Greek columns. An elliptical ceiling rests on Corinthian supports and forms a spacious interior with white walls and tall windows.
James Gibbs designed the current building in the 1720s and created a plan that influenced churches across North America. The site previously held medieval buildings and originally stood outside the city boundaries between Westminster and London.
The building serves as the parish place of worship for the monarch when residing at Buckingham Palace and displays the royal coat of arms above the main entrance. Regular concerts fill the interior with sounds ranging from baroque to contemporary music and draw listeners from around the world.
The entrance faces directly onto the square and the interior is accessible without steps. Concerts and tours require separate reservations while the main space remains open to visitors during the day.
The crypt beneath the nave holds a café with arched brick ceilings and tables set between old gravestones. Jazz evenings take place in this underground room and connect contemporary music with centuries-old architecture.
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