St. Paul's Cathedral

Landmark in St Paul's
St. Paul's Cathedral image
Address
St Paul's Churchyard, St Paul's, EC4M 8AD
Category
Landmarks
Region
St Paul's
Nearest Station
St. Paul's
0.08 miles

There has been a cathedral in London dedicated to St. Paul since as early as the seventh century. The present cathedral is the fourth to occupy the site and was designed by Sir Christopher Wren to replace the one that was destroyed by the great fire of London.
It was built from 1675, and took thirty-five years to complete. Five different monarchs oversaw its construction with the concept that London’s leading church should be one of magnificence and grandeur.

The first service in the modern cathedral took place in 1697, thirteen years before is completion. Many of the nation’s most significant events have taken place at the cathedral, including the funeral services of Winston Churchill, the Duke of Wellington and Lord Nelson, and the jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria and King George V.

Throughout the centuries the cathedral has had several items of decoration added and removed to reflect changing historical attitudes. As recently as 2003 the cathedral has had a face lift to prepare it for its next 300 years! The organ at St. Paul's which was once played by Mendelssohn, dates back to the seventeenth century and is still in use today. At the request of Queen Victoria the interior of St. Paul’s is decorated with many vibrant mosaics.

The Cathedral is of the Diocese of London, the Diocese is made up of the five Episcopal areas- Willesden, Edmonton, Stepney, London and Kensington. In 2004 the diocese celebrated its 1400 anniversary.

St. Paul’s Cathedral is serviced by St. Paul’s underground station which is five minutes walk away.

Please note that bags searches are in operation, and large bags (larger than aircraft hand luggage) are not permitted into the cathedral.

Buy entrance tickets in advance for the best prices.

St. Paul's Cathedral Picture Gallery

St. Paul's Cathedral Picture

Best For

Aaah! London's most romantic places picture

Aaah! London's most romantic places

Is love in the air? The let's get it onnnnn...

The Whispering Gallery at St Paul's: Nothing says romance like whispering sweet nothings and where could be more perfect for that than in a bona fide whispering gallery? Climb the stairs towards the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral and you’ll come across this feat of engineered acoustics. Whisper to your loved one – something like, “Marry me?” perhaps – and the sound will carry around the wall and into their ears.

The best places in London to make a wedding proposal picture

The best places in London to make a wedding proposal

We offer some location suggestions

Whether you decide to make use of St. Paul’s famous Whispering Gallery, the ancient cathedral makes a great proposal spot. Look for a quiet time and drink in the glory of this great landmark. Work up your courage and then… whisper away.

London's oldest attractions picture

London's oldest attractions

Something for the history-buffs...

Construction on St. Paul's began in 1087, however the Great Fire of 1666 razed it to the ground. Sir Christopher Wren was in charge of designing the new cathedral, and once it was finished it was the tallest building in London until 1962, at a then impressive 111 metres. Although dwarfed by skyscrapers today, cliimbing the 270 steps it takes to get to the top still offers amazing views.

Things to Try

Attend evensong with London’s top choirs picture

Attend evensong with London’s top choirs

Hear the little angels sing...
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Whisper picture

Whisper

... and listen.
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