St Paul's Cathedral Overview

The historic site on London's Ludgate Hill has evolved dramatically over the centuries – and its story is also that of Britain. A late Roman wooden structure was usurped by a stone construction in the seventh century AD. The Saxon model was then sacked by the Vikings in 961, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. A third building was burnt down in the 11th century, before the Normans embarked on another structure that would again succumb to fire – no thanks to its wooden roof – but it is the skeleton of this fourth St Paul's that was developed by Sir Christopher Wren into the modern structure.

Finally completed in 1710, the towering white stone cathedral and its distinctive dome are the well-established seat of the Bishop of London. Iconic images from the Second World War captured the structure in resilient glory as it escaped unscathed while the blitz laid waste to much of its surroundings. More recently the cathedral was the scene of the glamourous wedding of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana.

St Paul's Cathedral Location

St Paul's Cathedral is located within a stone's throw of London's busiest financial district, the bustling City of London. The historic area is home to the Bank of England and remains as crammed full of charming alleys and back street pubs as it is with financial institutions. Venturing further east, visitors can experience the remarkable transition from one side of Bishopsgate to the other. The road divides the sleek financial district from the up-and-coming Spitalfields area, where the working class origins of the East End have evolved into the excitement of Spitalfields market and the Asian eateries of Brick Lane.

Go south of St Paul's and visitors rapidly come upon the River Thames and the eye-catching Millenium Bridge. Follow it and the Tate Modern – fast becoming one of the world's most popular art galleries – becomes your oyster.

Why Visit St Paul's Cathedral

Visitors to St Paul's need no greater incentive than the chance of scaling the structure and enjoying the dizzying view from the top. On the way are many charms: at 99 feet above floor level, the Whispering Gallery runs around the interior of the Dome and is famous for quirks in its construction that allow whispers to travel around its perimeter.

And those for whom being inside one of the largest Cathedral domes in the world - measuring111.3 metres in height – is not enough can also experience the Golden Gallery. This is the smallest and highest of the galleries, and one which Wren inspected weekly via a basket during its construction.
On the Cathedral Floor there are plenty of attractions for vertigo sufferers. Visitors are often spellbound by the beauty of the marble and carved and gilded oak high altar, as well as decorative features such as Wellington's monument, a tribute to one of Britain's great military leaders and statesmen.

According to the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), St Paul's Cathedral was visited by 1,623,881 people in 2007, all taken in by the structure's architectural wonder.