St Paul's Cathedral

 Interior Visit   Phone: 0171 246 8348  St Paul's Cathedral Website

Bishop Mellitus built the first cathedral on this site in 604 and a further 3 cathedrals have stood here.

St Paul's Cathedral fell victim to the Great Fire of London in 1666, with work on the present building commencing 9 years later. This was to be architect Sir Christopher Wren's finest work, encapsulating the influences of buildings he had visited across Europe. The cathedral was finally completed in 1710.

Sir Christopher Wren himself is buried at St Paul's, along with Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington.

During World War 1 and II St Paul's was one of London's many religious and historical sites that were targets for the Luftwaffe. The incendiary bombs they used posed a serious threat to the cathedral due to the considerable amount of timber used in the construction of the dome. A voluntary Fire Watch team maintained a nightly guard to ensure that any potential source of fire was eliminated.

Other Cathedrals that may be of interest are: St Albans Cathedral in St Albans, Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Chichester Cathedral in Chichester, Winchester Cathedral in Winchester, Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, Lichfield Cathedral in Lichfield.

Attractions near St Paul's Cathedral include National Theatre in South Bank, Hays Galleria in London, Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden, Covent Garden Market in London, The Vaudeville Theatre in City of Westminster, Tower Of London in City of London, Sadlers Wells Theatre in Islington, London Eye in London, Duke of Yorks Theatre in Westminster, Brunswick Centre in London.