2006-09-14 11:01:47 · 10 answers · asked by jpai 1 in Travel ➔ United Kingdom ➔ London
Because it is one of the few religious sites that is honest enough to admit it is a business, and they want to make as much money as possible!
2006-09-14 11:20:02 · answer #1 · answered by Peter C 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To force you to buy their memorabilia, postcards and tourguide books.
I couldn't believe it when I went to visit and was told I had to pay to get in.
Pay to get into a fecking church????
What if I was a religious person who wanted tp have a bit pf a pray or something. Would I still have to pay?
I used to work as the caretaker at St Annes Cathedral in Belfast, and visitors are welcome there.
Admission is free to everyone.
Come in and have a look around. Have a bit of a pray of you want. Learn a bit of history. Enjoy the sounds of Davy Drinkell the organist and his choir practicing.
There is a visitors donation box by the door, but you aren't obliged to put anything into it, and no-one minds if you don't.
And you can take all the photos you want to.
2006-09-14 18:16:51 · answer #2 · answered by Swampy_Bogtrotter 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the flash can damage the historic artwork. Just like paper goes brown and the writing fades if you leave a book in the sun, the same happens to artwork in bright light, which could be excacerbated by the flashes of the cameras from thousands of tourists. And when it's crowded and you have hundreds of tourists taking pictures, the flashing would be intensely annoying.
You can take photos in other churches because most in the UK lack considerable artwork (most of it was removed in the Reformation - St Paul's was built after it), and flash lighting doesn't damage stonework.
2006-09-15 08:16:05 · answer #3 · answered by sashmead2001 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I once was a guide at St. Michael's,Coventry and it was the same there.
The thought was that you're in a church, not a museum. We had numerous tourists taking pictures and interrupting services.
The worst was the man who stood on the high altar to get a picture.
2006-09-17 19:19:23 · answer #4 · answered by ckm1956 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't really know, but I'm guessing as a photographer, the intensity of flash light can damage old paintings , artifacts etc
2006-09-14 18:06:27 · answer #5 · answered by alex p 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because its a church and a place of worship, because of light damange from thousands of camera flashes and because you'll then have to buy a postcard and swell the coffers of the Church of England.
2006-09-18 09:54:21 · answer #6 · answered by samanthajanecaroline 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, that's SO weird! Never figured it out! I was amazed when someone stopped me rather harshly! I've taken pics at other churches before, catholic or whatever. Strange. Maybe they wanna sell you their dvds or postcards or whatever... maybe there'some "mystical" reason (I rather doubt it though) Actually I got rather mad, so I just turned around and left. Never have returned again. And never will.
2006-09-14 18:07:46 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The more pictures taken of somethin like a painting or artifact or art itself, it damages them & causes them to become older faster
2006-09-14 18:11:43 · answer #8 · answered by girrafe937bl 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
1) cos its holy and not allowed
2) cos you have to buy the extortionately priced handbook which has photos in
3) if you hide your digi camera no one will know so just do it anyway
2006-09-14 18:04:31 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Agree with Peter C...!!!
2006-09-14 18:48:05 · answer #10 · answered by Expat 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋