A Medieval architectural Masterpiece 

The exquisite Henry VII Lady Chapel, the last great masterpiece of English medieval architecture and the burial place of fifteen kings and queens, stands at the far eastern end of Westminster Abbey.

The chapel, which has been referred to as 'the miracle of the world' was added to the abbey at the behest of England's first Tudor monarch, Henry VII, for £14,000, a large sum for the time. (around £9 Million today) Built in the Perpendicular style, the chapel was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1503 and became known as the Henry VII Chapel. The chapel's architect is not known, but it is believed that Robert Janyns, Jr. was responsible for the design of much of the structure.

In the 13th century, a movement toward devotion to the Virgin Mary inspired the building of chapels in her honour across Europe. Henry III’s Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey was part of this trend. In 1502, Henry VII planned a new chapel. The old one was demolished in 1502 and construction of the new foundation began January 24, 1503.

Henry VII had three goals when planning his chapel. The first was to build a shrine to honour and hold the body of Henry VI, who was expected to be canonized. Ultimately, canonization did not occur and Henry VII and his wife, Elizabeth of York, were interred in the tomb intended for Henry VI. Second, Henry VII wished to dedicate a more elaborate chapel to the Virgin to replace the older, simpler structure; and third, he wanted a royal mausoleum for him, his family, and his heirs at an important religious site that would enhance his legitimacy as king and his legacy.
In his will, Henry stipulated that more funds were to be provided as needed. The final cost of the chapel is estimated at £20,000. According to one nobleman, Lord Bacon, “He lieth at Westminster in one of the stateliest and daintiest monuments of Europe…So that he dwelleth more richly dead in the monument of his tomb than he did alive at Richmond or in any of his palaces.”