St Paul's Cathedral in London should be at the top of your list of places to see. It is an Anglican church and the seat of the Bishop of London. It is located on the site of what was once a Roman post on the Thames.

There had been several churches on this site in ancient times, the most notable being “Old St Paul’s” which was built over a period of 200 years, eventually being consecrated in 1300 and was one of the largest churches in Europe at the time.

Over the years, it fell into disrepair and was a mere husk of itself when it was damaged by the Great Fire in 1666. A decision was made to build a new and more modern cathedral on the site, and Sir Christopher Wren was again pressed into service for the design.

The cathedral miraculously survived the bombings of the Second World War, despite several close calls and near misses.

It was built out of Portland stone in a Baroque or Late Renaissance style. The huge dome rises 365 feet over London and is a much beloved city landmark; it was modelled on St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

An interesting feature of the interior is the Whispering Gallery, it goes around the interior of the dome and if you whisper against the wall, anyone pressing their ear to another point within the dome will hear what you have said. Visitors to the cathedral can climb to the top. A trip of 530 winding steps will take you past the Whispering Gallery to the Golden Gallery at the top where you can enjoy the tremendous view of the city.

The cathedral also has a library of theological works, books on Wren, and the history of the cathedral.

The crypt is the burial place of many famous people such as Wellington, Nelson, and Wren. It is very large and also houses two fine restaurants and a gift shop.

Although efforts have been made to make the cathedral as visitor friendly as possible, it is still a real church and a place of worship so filming and photography are not permitted.

St Paul's Cathedral in London is a place you really should see.

Visiting St Paul's Cathedral

St Paul's Churchyard, City, EC4M 8AD

Telephone: 020 7236 4128

Email chapter@stpaulcathedral.org.uk

Visiting St Paul's Cathedral

Opening Times

Mon to Sat 8.30am-4pm (last entry) | Guided Tours at 11am, 11.30am, 1.30pm & 2pm

Ticket Prices

£12.50 (Adult), £4.50 (Child), £9.50 (Students)

Photo courtesy: stevecadman

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