Ely Cathedral is one of the finest medieval buildings in England, and the Octagon is the reason most people come. Where most great cathedrals have a conventional crossing tower, Ely has this extraordinary eight-sided space with a timber lantern tower above — built after the original Norman tower collapsed in 1322, it floods the crossing with light from above in a way that still astonishes after seven centuries.
The rest of the cathedral rewards careful exploration. The nave is Norman Romanesque, solemn and massive. The Lady Chapel to the north, built in the 14th century, is the largest in England — most of its medieval sculpture was destroyed during the Reformation, but the carved stonework that remains is intricate and beautiful. The Prior's Door leading from the nave to the cloister has some of the finest 12th-century carved tympanum work in the country. Allow at least two hours; more if you climb the tower.