ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL

Description

Essentials about St. Paul’s Cathedral in brief

Together with Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral is the most famous church in London and should definitely be on the bucket list during a trip to the British capital. It is an Anglican cathedral and the seat of the Bishop of London. With a length of 158 meters and a height of 111 meters, St. Paul’s is one of the largest cathedrals in the world and also one of the most beautiful churches in the world from the inside.

The history and architecture of St. Paul’s Cathedral

As early as the beginning of the 7th century, the first wooden Episcopal church in London, dedicated to St. Paul, was located on the present site of the cathedral. It burned down in 675, but was rebuilt. After further fire damage, the Normans began work on a new church building at the end of the 11th century, and it was subject to constant changes throughout the Middle Ages due to fires and rebuilding. Finally, in 1314, London Cathedral was completed and was one of the largest and tallest of its time.

In the Great Fire of London in 1666, the old cathedral burned down completely and was rebuilt in the English Baroque style according to the plans of the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren. The architectural highlight of the cathedral is the dome, which is 34 meters in diameter and can be seen from afar. Sporty visitors can climb the 259 steps up to the dome to enjoy a magnificent view.

The importance of St. Paul’s Cathedral

St. Paul’s Cathedral is not only of religious significance, but has always played a special role in British national identity. The state funerals of Admiral Nelson, Sir Winston Churchill and Baroness Margaret Thatcher were held in the cathedral, Prince Charles and Lady Diana were married to each other here and the celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II’s anniversaries and birthdays took place here. Visitors should not only see the cathedral from the outside, but should also have seen the beautiful nave from the inside.