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St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, England, is an Anglican cathedral and the seat of the Bishop of London. It’s one of the most iconic buildings in the city and is located in the City of London.
History of St. Paul’s Cathedral
This Anglican cathedral dates back to 604, when King Sæberht of Essex converted to Christianity. His uncle, King Æthelberht of Kent, built a cathedral in London dedicated to St. Paul the Apostle as the seat of the first Bishop of London, Mellitus. The first cathedral was either destroyed and rebuilt, or restored in the late 7th century and destroyed by fire in 962. Another cathedral was built in 962 and destroyed by fire in 1087.
The latest fire made way for what’s now known as Old St. Paul’s Cathedral, which was constructed between 1087 and 1314. When it was complete, the former cathedral was one of the longest churches in the world and had one of the tallest spires in the world. The spire caught fire on June 4, 1561, and collapsed. Just like the earlier cathedrals, Old St. Paul’s was destroyed by fire during the Great Fire of London from September 2-6, 1666.
The current cathedral was build by architect Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723). Construction started in 1675 and the cost was covered by a special tax on coal. It was consecrated for use on December 2, 1697, but construction continued on for several years. It was declared officially complete by Parliament on December 25, 1711. Wren is buried in the crypt underneath the building that’s considered his masterpiece.
In recent years, St. Paul’s Cathedral was struck by bombs during the Blitz from October 10, 1940, and April 17, 1941. The cathedral witnessed three important state funerals: Admiral Horatio Nelson (1805), Duke of Wellington (1852), and Winston Churchill (1965). The wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer took place there on July 29, 1981. Between 1996 and 2011, the building and dome underwent a 15 year restoration process.
Exterior Features of St. Paul’s Cathedral
St. Paul’s Cathedral has several interesting features, both architectural and aesthetic. Below I’ll write about both the building and monuments found on the grounds.
Dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral
The most prominent feature of St. Paul’s Cathedral is the dome. It rises 365 feet above ground level, making it the tallest building in London from 1711 to 1967. It was inspired by the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and the Church of the Val-de-Grâce in Paris.
West Front of St. Paul’s Cathedral
The west front of the cathedral is the main entrance and most ornate part of the exterior. It contains a portico supported on two tiers of paired columns, flanked by two towers. Each tower is crowned by a gilded copper pineapple. The towers stand outside the width of the aisles inside the cathedral.
Between the towers is a pediment topped by a statue of St. Paul carved by Francis Bird (1667-1731) between 1718 and 1721. The relief in the center of the pediment depicts St. Paul’s conversion to Christianity.
If you look carefully, you’ll notice only one of the two towers contains a clock. The clock in the southwest tower is called “Big Tom” and is 16 feet in diameter. The first clock was installed in 1709 by Langley Bradley but was worn out by the late 1800s. Big Tom was built in 1893 by Smith of Derby.
The southwest tower also contains four bells, the largest being Great Paul. It was cast in 1881 by Taylor’s Bell Foundry and weighs 16 ½ long tons. Great Paul was the largest bell in the British Isles until the casting of the Olympic Bell for the 2012 London Olympics. It traditionally sounds at 1pm each day. Another bell, Great Tom, chimes on the hour and is tolled to announce a death in the royal family.
Statue of Queen Anne
In front of St. Paul’s Cathedral is a statue of Queen Anne, who was the ruling British monarch when the cathedral was officially completed. The statue is a copy of an original 1712 sculpture by Francis Bird.
The current statue was sculpted by Richard Claude Belt and unveiled on December 15, 1886. It was commissioned to replace the older statue, which was badly weathered and damaged over the years.
St. Paul’s Cross
On the northeast side of the cathedral in St. Paul’s Churchyard once stood St. Paul’s Cross, which was the most important public pulpit in England. The pulpit stood from 1449 to 1635. During the Reformation, William Tyndale’s (c. 1494-1536) New Testament was burned there because it was translated to English.
A column topped by a gilded statue of St. Paul stands near the original site of the pulpit. The statue was made by Australian sculptor Bertram Mackennal (1863-1931) between 1908 and 1910.
Visiting St. Paul’s Cathedral
Admission to St. Paul’s is £25 for adults, £22.50 for visitors over 65 and students, and £10 for children age 6-17 (as of September 2024). Kids under 6 are admitted free of charge. Admission includes access to the Dome Galleries and Crypt. Entry is granted from 8:30am to 4pm Monday to Saturday (from 10am on Wednesdays). The nearest Tube station is St. Paul’s. Visit the official website for more info.
Complimentary guided tours are available at various times between 11am and 3pm daily except Sundays. Highlights tours last about a half hour and give a general overview of what to look for on your visit. Cathedral floor and crypt tours last about 60 to 90 minutes and allow access to a few parts of the cathedral usually not open to visitors. Alternatively, you can use one of the complimentary multimedia guides, which are available in nine languages.
The Triforium tour takes visitors up to the Triforium and includes the library, trophy room, Great Model, and a view from the top of the Dean’s Staircase. They cost £15 per person and last about 60 minutes (as of September 2024).
Nave of St. Paul’s Cathedral
Stepping into St. Paul’s Cathedral can take anyone’s breath away. It’s a massive building that’s 574 feet in length. Can you imagine that Old St. Paul’s Cathedral was even longer?
The nave is 91 feet high and is separated from the aisles by an arcade of piers. Elaborate stonework adorns the vault and piers.
Great West Door
The ceremonial entrance to the cathedral is through the Great West Door. It stands about 27 feet high and is opened for special services and the arrival of important visitors, such as the King.
St. Paul’s Watch
Just in front of the Great West Door is a plaque on the floor. It’s dedicated to the men and women of the St. Paul’s Watch. These brave individuals saved the cathedral from destruction during World War II. They were volunteers charged with putting out fires caused by bombing raids.
Narthex
A huge baptismal font and candle sit in the narthex. Nearby are two Byzantine icons.
Chapel of St. Michael and St. George
The Chapel of St. Michael and St. George is located in the south aisle to the right of the Great West Door. It’s dedicated to the Order of St. Michael and St. George, founded in 1818. The only way to access this chapel is to take one of the free guided tours at the cathedral.
On the north side there’s an altar while on the south side was the seat used by Queen Elizabeth II when she attended services at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
The pews contain dedications to members of the order. They’re engraved with their names, titles, birth dates, and death dates.
Dean’s Staircase
Just west of the Chapel of St. Michael and St. George is the Dean’s Staircase, also known as the Geometric Staircase. This is one of the lesser-known treasures of St. Paul’s Cathedral, and are a masterpiece of its architect, Sir Christopher Wren. The staircase was completed in 1705. Jean Tijou (d. 1712) created the iron railings as well as other grills and gates throughout the cathedral. The only way to see the staircase is to take one of the free guided tours or the Triforium tour.
The Dean’s Staircases rises into the southwest tower to the dean and chapter’s library. Each stair is made of stone and set just into the wall to rest on the stair just below. There’s no other support! It featured in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) and Sherlock Holmes (2009).
Wellington’s Monument
The largest monument at St. Paul’s Cathedral sits under one of the arches between the nave and north aisle. It was dedicated to the Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852) and was designed by Alfred Stevens (1817-1875). The monument originally stood in what is now the Chapel of St. Michael and St. George and was moved to its present location in 1906.
North Transept
In the north transept, there are monuments to Major-General Thomas Dundas (1750-1794) and Major General Andrew Hay (1762-1814).
If you notice the soldier’s head on the Hay monument, you’ll see it’s a much lighter color than the rest of the monument. That’s because it was knocked off during a bombing raid in World War II and replaced later.
During my latest visit, there was also an altar frontal dating back to 1897 on display.
Chapel of St. Erkenwald and St. Ethelburga
Just off the north transept is the Chapel of St. Erkenwald and St. Ethelburga, also known as the Middlesex Chapel.
The painting on the altarpiece is The Light of the World by William Holman Hunt (1827-1910). It’s actually a copy of his original and was painted between 1900 and 1904. The painting was purchased by Charles Booth (1840-1916) and went on a world tour from 1905 to 1907, attracting large crowds. It was placed in the cathedral in 1908.
South Transept
The south transept contains more monuments. The most prominent monument is dedicated to Admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805), who died at the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21, 1805. Other monuments are dedicated to Vice Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood (1748-1810), Captain Robert Scott (1868-1912), and Admiral Richard Howe (1726-1799).
Under the Dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral
No visit to St. Paul’s is complete without looking up at the gigantic dome. It contains eight scenes from the life of St. Paul painted by Sir James Thornhill (c. 1675-1734). A whispering gallery runs around the inside perimeter of the dome, 99 feet from the cathedral floor. Unfortunately, it was closed during both of my visits. The dome underwent a significant restoration from 1996 to 2011.
The v-shaped spaces between the eight arches under the dome are decorated with mosaics of the Four Evangelists and Four Major Prophets. They were completed between 1864 and 1893. Alfred Stevens created the prophets while George Frederick Watts (1817-1904) created the evangelists. The half-domes underneath contain Byzantine-style mosaics by Sir William Richmond (1842-1921), who also decorated the quire.
Directly underneath the dome is a marble circle dedicated to Sir Christopher Wren in Latin:
Here in its foundations lies the architect of this church and city, Christopher Wren, who lived beyond ninety years, not for his own profit but for the public good. Reader, if you seek his monument, look around you. Died 25 Feb. 1723, age 91.
Altar of St. Paul’s Cathedral
In front of the quire, under the dome, is the altar. It contains a beautifully carved pulpit. In front are two icons.
The icon on the left is of St. Mellitus, who became the first Bishop of London in 604. On the right is the icon of St. Paul the Apostle, for whom the cathedral is named.
Quire of St. Paul’s Cathedral
Behind the altar is the quire. This is where the clergy and choir normally sit during services. It contains rows of stalls on both sides with carvings by Grinling Gibbons (1648-1721).
The vault of the quire was decorated with mosaics created by William Blake Richmond (1842-1921). He started work on the mosaics in 1891 and finished 10 years later. The mosaics represent scenes from Creation.
Grand Organ
The Grand Organ is located in the quire. It was built in 1695 and is the third largest organ in the United Kingdom. It has been restored several times over the years. The case was created by Grinling Gibbons.
High Altar
Behind the quire is the High Altar. It was built in 1958 based on a drawing by Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723), and made of marble and oak. The baldachin was created by W. Godfrey Allen (1891-1986) and Stephen Dykes Bower (1903-1994). The original Victorian High Altar was destroyed by bombings during World War II.
American Memorial Chapel
The apse contains the American Memorial Chapel. It was donated in 1958 by the British people to commemorate the 28,000 Americans stationed in the United Kingdom during World War II.
The Roll of Honour, opposite the chapel’s altar, contains the names of each American who died while stationed in, or on their way to, the United Kingdom during the war. One page is turned each day so that the names are always read.
Stunning stained glass windows sit behind the American Memorial Chapel.
Quire Aisles
The north quire aisle is known as the Minor Canons’ Aisle. A sculpture by Henry Moore (1898-1986), Mother and Child: Hood, is located there. It was one of Moor’es final commissions, created in 1983. The Minor Canons’ Aisle also contains the entrance to the organ.
The south quire aisle is known as the Dean’s Aisle. This is where clergy and the choir gather before services. It contains a marble effigy of John Donne (1572-1631), which is the only monument to survive the burning of Old St. Paul’s Cathedral during Great Fire of London in 1666. The effigy was carved in 1630 by Nicholas Stone (c. 1586-1647), and Donne posed for it himself. Donne was a Dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral and one of the greatest poets in English history.
Both quire aisles contain wrought-iron gates crafted by French metalworker Jean Tijou (d. 1712) as well as mosaics by William Blake Richmond in the vaults.
Crypt of St. Paul’s Cathedral
There are a number of high-profile burials in the crypt at St. Paul’s Cathedral. I’ll mention a few of them here and write about the chapels as well.
Christopher Wren
The first burial in the crypt at St. Paul’s Cathedral took place on March 5, 1723, when Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723) was laid to rest. The architect of the cathedral is buried in a simple tomb.
Wren’s son, Christopher Wren Jr. (1675-1747), wrote the Latin epitaph above the tomb. It translates to:
Here in its foundations lies the architect of this church and city, Christopher Wren, who lived beyond ninety years, not for his own profit but for the public good. Reader, if you seek his monument, look around you. Died 25 Feb. 1723, age 91.
Horatio Nelson
Admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805) died in the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21, 1805. The naval hero was buried at St. Paul’s Cathedral after an incredible funeral procession escorted by 32 admirals, over 100 captains, and 10,000 soldiers. The church service itself took four hours.
Nelson’s elegant sarcophagus was originally carved for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey (1473-1530) in the early 16th century, but Henry VIII confiscated it for his own use. Henry VIII’s tomb was never completed and the sarcophagus was kept at Windsor Castle until a suitable recipient could be found.
Duke of Wellington
Perhaps the most magnificent tomb in the crypt is that of Arthur Wellesley, the 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852). Wellington defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. His state funeral was just as grand as Nelson’s and was fitting for his larger-than-life personality.
Five original flags carried during the funeral procession hang above his sarcophagus. A sixth flag from Prussia was removed during World War I and never displayed again.
Alexander Fleming
The ashes of Sir Alexander Fleming (1881-1955) rest beneath a plaque near the tomb of Sir Christopher Wren. Fleming, a Scottish biologist and physician, discovered penicillin in 1928 and changed medical history forever.
Memorials at St. Paul’s Cathedral
While they aren’t buried at St. Paul’s Cathedral, there are memorials to Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) and Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965). Nightingale was the founder of modern nursing and a marble plaque hangs in her honor.
Churchill famously directed Britain’s World War II campaign while Prime Minister, and is memorialized by the Winston Churchill Memorial Screen, a set of steel and bronze gates.
Order of the British Empire Chapel
The Order of the British Empire Chapel became the spiritual home of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 1960. The OBE was created in 1917 by King George V to recognize significant civilian contribution to the war effort during World War I.
The chapel is also known as St. Faith’s Chapel. St. Faith’s was a church connected to Old St. Paul’s Cathedral and burned down during the Great Fire of London in 1666.
Knights Bachelor Chapel
The Knights Bachelor Chapel is dedicated to the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor, which was formed in 1908. The chapel opened in 2008 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II. It’s decorated with English oak panels containing registers of every deceased Knights Bachelor from 1257 as well as the Founder Knights’ and Benefactors’ Book. Queen Victoria’s sword, which was used to knight many famous men, is on display nearby. The chapel is also known as St. Martin’s Chapel.
There’s More…
There are several more interesting elements inside St. Paul’s Cathedral that I wasn’t able to fit in on my latest visit. I hope to fill in some of the blanks on a future trip and provide more photos and details.
Finally, if you’re looking for more complete information and photos of St. Paul’s Cathedral or other cathedrals and churches from around the world, please visit Paul Scott’s website.
