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St Pauls Churchyard, EC4
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Recently voted the number one man-made attraction in London, St Paul’s Cathedral stands proudly in the heart of the city's square mile, and is one of London’s architectural marvels.
Construction of the cathedral was completed in 1708 on the site of four previously destroyed cathedrals, the oldest dating back to the year 604. It is currently nearing the completion of extensive restoration in preparation for its 300 year anniversary.
St Paul's Cathedral has been the site of royal weddings, and funerals of Britain's leaders. Its substantial crypt has memorials to military greats such as Admiral Nelson, whose remains lie at the centre of the Crypt, directly beneath the centre of the dome.
The cathedral's huge dome is the second largest in the world (after St Peter's in Rome). Climb up into the dome to the Whispering Gallery, which is so named as if you whisper it can be heard across the other side of the dome. Ascend further to the external Stone Gallery or upwards to the Golden Gallery for fabulous views across London.
When we visited the cathedral the dome was being restored so we were unable to get a close up look. Hope to return soon to have a proper squiz. Leave a Comment
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 by smschley
St Paul’s has been the stage for many important events in English history such as the funerals of Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and Sir Winston Churchill; Jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria, King George V; peace services marking the end of the First and Second World Wars; the 100th birthday of Queen Elizabeth; the wedding of Charles to Lady; and the Golden Jubilee of the Queen.
When you enter and see the dome from the inside it may look strange, it’s smaller and lower than you probably expected. Between the inner and outer domes is a brick cone, which supports the 850-ton lantern.
Climb 259 spiral steps and check out the Whispering Gallery in the interior of the dome, it’s an acoustic marvel where even the faintest whisper can be heard clearly on the opposite side. Sit on one side, have someone sit on the opposite side, and whisper away. From there a second steep climb leads to the Stone Gallery, opening onto a panoramic view of London. Another 153 steps take you to the Inner Golden Gallery, situated at the top of the inner dome.
After all those steps you are probably tired as heck and wondering why you even wanted to see the city from there. After the heart rate goes back to normal, snap a picture with you at the top. This will be a badge of honor and something to gloat about to friends who didn’t make it
OPEN:
Cathedral Mon.-Sat. 8:30-4, closed occasionally for special services;
Ambulatory, crypt, and gallery Mon.-Sat. 9-5:15. Shop and Crypt Café also Sun. 10:30-5 Leave a Comment
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 St. Paul's Cathedral having a
facelift by scottishvisitor, 4 more photos
Check out the web site if you would like to see St. Paul's interior. Leave a Comment
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St. Paul's Cathedral is a Renaissance Church and Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece, which took 35 years to build. It dominates the North bank of the River Thames. Even though St. Paul's was bombed several times during WWII, it survived because of the determination of the fire brigade. After the war, the church was renovated and brought back to its former splendor.
%(Note: The wedding of Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles took place here in 1981.)
Visible from all over London, the church's dome is patterned after St. Peter's in Rome...this dome is St. Paul's most distinctive feature. It's really a "dome within a dome, supported by a hidden superstructure and crowned with a stone lantern."
When I was inside and looked up, I actually had vertigo!
Fortunately, it's possible to climb up for a fantastic view of London. There are three galleries around the dome to experience these views.
St. Paul's also has the largest crypt in all of Europe. Appropriately, Sir Christopher Wren is buried here. Leave a Comment
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 The beautiful dome of St Pauls
Cathedral by Jenniflower, 3 more photos
The Cathedral consists of the central Nave (which leads to the central dome). In the north aisle there is the Chapel of All Souls, the Chapel of St Dunstan and Wellington's monument. In the south aisle there is the Chapel of St Michael and St George.
The Quire is the area up front, where the clergy and choir sit. The High Altar and the organ are here too, with exquisite craftmanship and detail. Quite breath-taking.
The dome is absolutely gorgeous, similar in shape as St Peters dome in Rome... BUT far less steps to the top! It is 111.3 metres high, and is one of the largest Cathedral domes in the world. The top affords one a glorious view of the city in all directions. Well worth the climb and the effort! :)
The crypt is also very interesting to see, and takes one back when reading the inscriptions... from wars fought long ago, to more recent ones. They have effigies and sculptures that are older than the cathedral itself (St Pauls was first built in 604AD). Some of the more famous tombs are Christopher Wren himself (the architect), Nelson and Wellington.
I worked for a while for Goldman Sachs, and my brother worked for JP Morgan, and both buildings are close by here. Its really nice to be close by because one can wander around the cathedral during lunch breaks and during odd times, when the crowds arent there first. Leave a Comment
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 St. Pauls by bthon
The dome is one of the highlights of visiting the cathedral. From the top, you can see most of london though the stairs are a bit daunting for some. Make sure you ask exactly when they will stop allowing visitors to climb to the top, as sometimes it is well before the closing time of the cathedral.
If one isnt interested in the history or the dome, you still enter the church without paying the admission if you dont mind sitting through a service. Just make sure it is a public service and say that you are there for the service. you might also want to dress semi appropriately.
You might also want to check the event calendar, as preformances such as Handel's Messiah are well worth attending. At the moment, visiting hours are between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm though these fluctuate with preformances, services, and the restoration they are conducting. Leave a Comment
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 st. paul's cathedral by doug48 |
 st paul's by willy_wonkaLeave a Comment
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St Pauls is one of the key sights in London for visitors. Even as someone living and working in London, I get as excited when I see it as someone who sees it for the first time :)
The original cathedral dedicated to St Paul was built in 640AD... the current cathedral is the fourth one to stand on this site, beautifully designed by Christopher Wren.
Mnay important events have taken place here in its history: The Queens Jubilee Celebration, some famous funerals (Winston Churchill being one of them), Prince Charles and Lady Diana's wedding to name a few.
It is full to the brim with the history of London and its inhabitants. Well worth a visit! Leave a Comment
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 St Paul's Cathedral by CdnJaneLeave a Comment
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