St Paul's Cathedral, City of London
St Paul's Cathedral, City of London
St Paul's is the Grade I Anglican cathedral on Ludgate Hill in the City of London, the seat of the Bishop of London: Sir Christopher Wren's English Baroque rebuilding of 1675-1710 after the medieval cathedral burned in the Great Fire of 1666.
- Location
- City of London, Greater London
- Country
- England
- County
- Greater London
- City / town
- City of London
- Address
- St Paul Churchyard, City of London, Greater London, EC4M 8AD
- Postcode
- EC4M 8AD
- Built
- 1675-1710; rebuilding after the Great Fire of 1666
- Consecrated
- 2 December 1697
- Architect
- Sir Christopher Wren
- Denomination
- Church of England
- Dedication
- Paul
- Diocese
- London
- Parish
- St Paul's Cathedral
- Grade
- I
- Style
- English Baroque
- Materials
- Portland stone; central dome and western towers
- Grid reference
- TQ 320 811
- Opening hours
- The cathedral is usually open for sightseeing Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 4.30pm (last admission 4pm). The price of admission includes entry to the cathedral floor, crypt and the three galleries in the dome as well as multimedia guides and guided tours and the average visit time is two hours.
- Access
- Accessible toilets in church. Level access to the main areas
- Website
- https://www.stpauls.co.uk/
Overview
Historic England lists the Cathedral Church of St Paul (list entry 1079157, designated 4 January 1950). The listing records a cathedral of 1675 to 1710 by Sir Christopher Wren, a rebuilding of the medieval cathedral burnt in the Great Fire, in a Classical style, mainly of Portland stone, with a central dome and western towers, and a large crypt. It contains important contemporary and later fittings and monuments, including a very few survivals from the previous church. The dome was painted by Thornhill. Above the two west chapels are the library and music room; the south-west tower contains a fine circular staircase.
A cathedral dedicated to St Paul has stood on or near this site since 604. The present building was first used for worship on 2 December 1697 and was completed in 1710. At 365 feet it was the tallest building in London from 1710 to 1963. Services have included the funerals of Nelson, Wellington, Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, the wedding of the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer, and thanksgiving services after both world wars. The dome became a symbol of London's survival during the Blitz. The cathedral remains the mother church of the Diocese of London.