Henry III rebuilt Westminster Abbey in honour of the Royal Saint Edward the Confessor, whose relics were placed in a shrine in the sanctuary and now lie in a burial vault beneath the 1268 Cosmati mosaic pavement, in front of the high altar.

Yes, Westminster Abbey contains numerous burial vaults and royal tombs, serving as the final resting place for over 3,000 people, including 30 kings and queens. Below the floor of the Abbey, there are several large brick-lined vaults, such as the Hanoverian Vault under the Lady Chapel, which holds the remains of George II and his family. One of the most famous locations is the Royal Vault in the Henry VII Chapel, where monarchs like Elizabeth I and Mary I are interred. While many early royals were buried in ornate above-ground stone sarcophagi—such as the shrine of Edward the Confessor—the transition to underground vaults became more common in later centuries to save space. These vaults are essentially small rooms or chambers that house multiple lead-lined coffins stacked on shelves or platforms. Over the centuries, some of these vaults have been opened for architectural surveys or historical research, revealing a complex subterranean network of "cities of the dead." Today, space within the Abbey is extremely limited, and new burials are exceptionally rare, usually reserved for the cremated remains of individuals of immense national importance.