Round Church Visitor Centre

28/05/2025

We are excited to share that we are offering guided walking tours in Mandarin over the summer! These tours provide a great way to see the University of Cambridge and understand its history, all with a local Mandarin-speaking guide.

- Visit important Cambridge sites and admire the beauty of Cambridge’s renowned colleges.
- Tour one of the world’s top universities, listening to the stories of famous alumni like Isaac Newton, William Wilberforce and John Milton.
- Discover the foundational ideas that have shaped Cambridge as we explore the influence of the Christian faith on the origins of university education, the birth of modern science, humanitarian movements, and the development of the UK’s political and religious freedoms.

The tours will be held on select Saturdays from May to September 2025. Tours will meet at 1:30pm inside the Round Church on these dates, and will last between 90 mins and 2 hours. Tickets cost £14 per person (students £12, children under 13 free). To find out more and reserve your ticket, please go to https://roundchurchcambridge.org/mandarin-walks-of-cambridge/ Please make your reservation by 4pm the day before the tour.

For more information about our regular English guided walks, please go to https://roundchurchcambridge.org/guided-walks/

19/03/2025

Thank you to Banner of Truth for featuring us in their recent episode of The Magazine Podcast. Check out the podcast below for our top 3 Christian history spots in Cambridge, along with recommendations for a whole church history tour of the UK!

The United Kingdom has a rich Christian heritage, a standing testimony to the Lord's saving mercy and transforming grace. How can visitors to the UK trace some of these movements of God's Spirit? What if the Banner were to put together a suggested itinerary? Interestingly, the Banner did—back in 1...

03/07/2024

It was wonderful to welcome groups from Biola University and Grantham Civic Society for Round Church visits and guided walks recently!

24/05/2024

We enjoyed having Selah Australia join us for a walking tour of Cambridge last weekend as part of their C.S. Lewis Christian Writers Tour!

Pictured: Magdalene College, where C.S. Lewis was a Fellow, 1954-1963.

22/05/2024

Thank you to students from Impact 360 Institute for joining us on two wonderful walking tours of Cambridge last week!

Pictured: aerial shot of Cambridge

09/05/2024

We enjoyed welcoming studetns from Trinity Western University for a very sunny walking tour of Cambridge yesterday!

31/03/2024

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Today we celebrate Christ’s resurrection from the dead and the eternal life that all believers have in him.

The very fabric of the Round Church celebrates this central event of Christian history, as the inspiration for its unusual shape comes from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Consecrated in 335, the Jerusalem church was built around the reputed burial site of Jesus and became a prominent Christian landmark drawing increasing numbers of pilgrims over the centuries. In echoing the round shape of that church, the Round Church in Cambridge celebrates Jesus' physical resurrection from the tomb (or 'sepulchre') in which he had been laid, as well as the resurrection his followers will have when he returns and makes everything new.

Complementing this significance, the circular shape of the church itself serves as a reminder of the eternal life won through Christ’s resurrection.

29/03/2024

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

On Good Friday, we remember Christ’s death on the cross to save anyone who believes in him from their sin and reconcile them with God.

The Round Church’s east window portrays many elements from Jesus’ historical crucifixion, as he bore the most painful and humiliating death the Roman Empire could devise. The crown of thorns on his head and the instruments of the passion down the centre of his robe reflect the physical torture he endured.

The lamb at the foot of the cross captures the cosmic significance of Christ’s death. In the Old Testament, a lamb was sacrificed to atone for sins. Jesus, the Son of God, became the ultimate sacrificial lamb who died to take the punishment for our sin (our turning away from God toward wrong actions and attitudes). As a result, those put their trust in Christ are reconciled to God and restored to the loving relationship we were created to have with him.

15/03/2024

We love Cambridge, and believe that the best way to experience it is on foot with a guide who appreciates its treasures. We’ve been leading our acclaimed Round Church guided walks for over 25 years, and work with a dedicated team of local guides to bring you a small-group walking experience which is personal, engaging and unforgettable.

Our approach is a little different from a standard tourist tour: we believe that ideas matter, and focus on how a small number of big ideas have shaped the university over eight eventful centuries. Join us on a walk to see just how much Cambridge’s story of saints, sinners, sceptics, and scholars has to say to us today.

Wednesday to Saturday at 2:15pm, starting inside the Round Church. Book your tickets on our website, on TripAdvisor or at the Round Church Visitor Centre. Group bookings welcome - get in touch on [email protected].

13/03/2024

It was great to have students from Samford University join us to explore Cambridge's fascinating history on a walking tour of the University today!

08/03/2024

Housed in Cambridge’s second-oldest building, with an exhibition and film inviting you to explore the fascinating history of the city and its university, the Round Church Visitor Centre is the perfect place to start your visit to Cambridge.

‘The Cambridge Story’ is a 12-panel journey from Roman times to the present. Highlighting the dynamic influence of Christianity on the cultural, political and intellectual history of the West, this is an exhibition which unveils the big picture, while keeping Cambridge in focus as a key centre of dramatic societal changes.

Narrated by David Suchet, the 23-minute ‘Saints and Scholars’ film gives a compelling introduction to the rich history of Cambridge, inviting you to discover the Christian story of Cambridge and to meet some of the most significant thinkers of the last few centuries.

01/03/2024

Modelled on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the Round Church was built by crusaders in c.1130. A city landmark long before the formation of the university, the church has stood as a witness to the Christian faith for nearly 900 years of Cambridge history.

The church’s imposing Norman architecture, marked by thick pillars and rounded arches, is complemented by stunning stained-glass windows, fascinating stone faces, beautiful 15th-century carved wooden angels, Victorian tiles, and much more.

Why not come and visit one of Cambridge’s most iconic buildings and find out more about its long history?