DK Travel : London : St Paul’s Cathedral

St Paul’s Cathedral

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This is the great masterpiece of Sir Christopher Wren, who rebuilt the City’s churches after the Great Fire of 1666. Completed in 1708, it was England’s first purpose-built Protestant cathedral, and has many similarities with St Peter’s in Rome, notably in its enormous ornate dome. It has the largest swinging bell in Europe, Great Paul, which strikes every day at 1pm. The hour bell, Great Tom, strikes the hour and marks the death of royalty and senior churchmen. The cathedral has a reputation for music, and draws its choristers from St Paul’s Cathedral School.
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Top 10 Features

1. West Front and Towers

1. West Front and Towers

The imposing West Front is dominated by two huge towers. The pineapples at their tops are symbols of peace and prosperity. The Great West Door is 9 m (29 ft) high and is used only for ceremonial occasions.
2. Dome

2. Dome

One of the largest domes in the world , it is 111 m (365 ft) high and weighs 65,000 tonnes. The Golden Gallery at the top, and the larger Stone Gallery, both have great views.
3. Whispering Gallery

3. Whispering Gallery

Inside the dome is the famous Whispering Gallery. Words whispered against the wall can be heard on the opposite side of the gallery.
4. Quire

4. Quire

The beautiful stalls and organ case in the Quire are by Grindling Gibbons. Handel and Mendelssohn both played the organ, which dates from 1695.
5. OBE Chapel

5. OBE Chapel

At the eastern end of the crypt is a chapel devoted to men and women who received the Order of the British Empire, a military and civil honour established in 1917, and the first to include women.
6. High Altar

6. High Altar

The magnificent High Altar is made from Italian marble, and the canopy is from a sketch by Wren. The large candlesticks are copies of a 16th-century pair made for Cardinal Wolsey.
7. Jubilee Cope

This beautiful cope was made by Beryl Dean for the silver jubilee of Elizabeth II in 1977. Made of silk organza, its rich gold and silk embroidery illustrates St Paul’s and 76 other London churches.
8. Tijou Gates

8. Tijou Gates

The French master metal worker Jean Tijou designed these ornate wrought iron gates in the North Quire Aisle, along with the Whispering Gallery balcony and other cathedral metalwork.
9. Mosaics

9. Mosaics

Colourful mosaic ceilings were installed in the Quire and Ambulatory in the 19th century. They are made with irregular cubes of glass, set at angles so that they sparkle.
10. Treasury

10. Treasury

St Paul’s lost most of its gold and silver in a robbery in 1810. The ceremonial items now on display in the Treasury (in the crypt) are from churches across the city. There are also models of the cathedral and some of Wren’s designs.

Practical Information

Soup and snacks in the Crypt Café. The most popular service is the choral evensong (usually at 5pm daily) when you can hear the choir. Guided tours and audio guides are available. St Paul’s Cathedral, Ludgate Hill EC4 020 7236 4128 www.stpauls.co.uk Cathedral: open 8:30am–4pm Mon–Sat; Galleries: open 9:30am– 4pm Mon–Sat Admission: adults £6; children 6–16 £3 (under-6s free); concessions £4; group rates available, call for details Guided tours at 11am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, 2pm (fee charged, call for details)