The Ultimate Guide to visiting Royal Courts of Justice

clock Open: Mon – Fri: 9:00AM to 4:30PM

wait Time Needed: 2 hours

euro Price: £12

With the Houses of Parliament or the nearby St. James’ Cathedral and Temple Church, The Royal Courts of Justice are often forgotten about when it comes London attractions worth visiting. But with stunning Victorian architecture, a costume exhibit – not to mention that visitors can sit in on court hearings – the Royal Courts of Justice are slowly becoming a fan-favourite among both tourists and locals alike.

The courts were designed by George Edmund Street (who sadly died before the buildings were completed), and the total construction cost was a whopping £2.2 million. The courts took more than eight years to complete throughout the 1870s, which was mostly due to the fact that the building masons went on strike halfway through the construction process. Because of this, Parliament officials had to resort to hiring workers from other European countries in order to finish the project, and the courts were finally opened in an official ceremony by Queen Victoria on December 4th, 1882.

Royal Courts of Justice Highlights

With approximately 1000 rooms, 35 long corridors and 19 court rooms, the Royal Courts of Justice are known to be one of the largest courts in Europe. (The Great Central Hall alone is about 238 feet long, 48 feet wide and 80 feet high!)

Not only can visitors listen in on court cases and watch barristers with those funny-looking wigs argue with each other, they can also get a bird’s-eye view of what the British judicial system is like in a real-life court room.

Because the Royal Courts of Justice only deal with civil issues, the majority of cases involve topics such as financial or family disputes as well as asylum, libel or deportation hearings. Although some cases may be a tad on the boring side, you may get lucky and sit in on a case involving a famous name or celebrity!

There are even a ton of different popular attractions located both inside and surrounding the courts, such as the Bear Gardens, the Painted Room, the Crypt, the Great Hall and the sculpture/costume exhibit room (which is located between the two wings of the courtrooms on the second floor).

Visitors can also view the original court documents relating to the infamous Guy Fawkes case (dating all the way back to 1605), and read up on the history of famous art displayed within the Courts’ walls. Feel free to wander around the maze-like corridors to see barristers talking to clients, or marvel at the interior’s architecture.

Special Tips

Visitors are only allowed to sit in the final two rows of the court room, as the other rows are reserved for law reporters and barristers, as well as friends and family members of those involved in the case.

Be sure to dress conservatively for your visit, and avoid wearing jeans, t-shirts or any revealing clothing

Make sure you bow your head to the judge when both entering and leaving the court room.

tip After passing through security, you can find out which court cases are being held in which rooms by looking at the list posted on the big wooden cabinet in the Main Hall. You can also look on the Royal Courts of Justice official website and view their “Cause List” online as well.

tip Do not enter any rooms marked as “In Camera,” “In Private,” or any other rooms with clouded-out windows.

Getting There

getting there Address: Strand, London WC2A 2LL, United Kingdom (See map).

getting there By Tube: The nearest stations are Chancery Lane (which is a ten-minute walk away) or Temple (a four-minute walk away).

getting there By Train: The nearest station is City Thameslink which is a nine-minute walk away.

getting there By Bus: You can reach the courts via routes 4, 11, 15, 23, 26, 76, 172, and 341. All buses drop visitors off directly in front of the courts.

getting there By car: There is limited paid parking in Temple Place which is located directly behind the courts.

getting there By coach: You can get dropped off just outside the courts, but the driver will need to find somewhere to park during the day.

Visiting Royal Courts of Justice

Visitors can sit in and listen to court hearings, but you will need to pass through an airport-like security check before entering the courts.

Visitors under the age of 14 will not be permitted to sit in on court hearings.

If you are in a group of 12 or more people, you may be asked to sit separately in the court room in order to avoid any disturbances.

Taking photographs is strictly forbidden, so don’t even bother bringing your cameras or mobiles with you as they won’t get past security.

Be sure to pick up a leaflet at the reception desk after you go through security, as it provides an informative and detailed map of where you can walk throughout the building.

Ticket prices and Opening Hours

Opening times are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday, (although the public is only allowed to sit in on court hearings between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. ). Some days the courts won’t be open to the public so make sure you visit the official website beforehand.

If you want to learn more about the architecture and history of the Royal Courts of Justice, there are tours which are held at either 11 a.m. or 2 p.m. throughout the month, and last for about two hours. Tours are only run on specific days and must be pre-booked.

The Royal Courts of Justice tours cost:

  • £12 for adults
  • £10 for seniors (ages 60 and over)
  • £10 per person in a group (with a minimum of 12 people)
  • £5 for children under the ages of 14

If you are loking for other London Tours, you can see what’s on offer daily here.

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