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St. Paul’s Cathedral is one of the most iconic buildings in London, England. It’s located in the City of London and is the seat of the Bishop of London. This entry explores the interior of the building except the quire and crypt.
Nave
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 Queen.
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 just 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. They rise into the southwest tower to the dean and chapter’s library. The only way to see the staircase is to take one of the free guided tours.
Each stair is made of stone and set just into the wall to rest on the stair just below. There’s no other support! The staircase was completed in 1705. It featured in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) and Sherlock Holmes (2009).
Jean Tijou created the iron railings as well as other grills and gates throughout the cathedral.
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 Duke of Wellington and completed in 1912 by Alfred Stevens.
North Transept
In the north transept, there are monuments to Major-General Thomas Dundas and Major General Andrew Hay.
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 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. It’s actually a copy of his original and was painted between 1900 and 1904. The painting was purchased by Charles Booth 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, who died at the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21, 1805. Other monuments are dedicated to Vice Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, Captain Robert Scott, and Admiral Richard Howe.
Dome
Finally, 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. A whispering gallery runs around the inside perimeter of the dome, 99 feet from the cathedral floor. Unfortunately, it was closed during my visit. 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 created the evangelists. The half-domes underneath contain Byzantine-style mosaics by Sir William Richmond, 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.
There’s More…
There are several more elements inside St. Paul’s Cathedral that I wasn’t able to fit in on this visit. I hope to fill in some of the blanks on a future visit and provide more photos and details.
