I visited this wonderful place many years ago when I was about 7 years old and my dad and I climbed up as far as the famous Whispering Gallery. We did not go right up to the top as mom was waiting for us at ground level – she’s not too good with climbs and heights! I had always ... Read review
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I visited this wonderful place many years ago when I was about 7 years old and my dad and I climbed up as far as the famous Whispering Gallery. We did not go right up to the top as mom was waiting for us at ground level – she’s not too good with climbs and heights! I had always wanted to return to complete the climb but had never got round to it until recently.
I had made a list of all the things that I wanted to do during ... ...the very top of St Paul’s Cathedral. A friend of mine lives in London and I went to stay with him for a weekend so that I could get to a work seminar near Tower Bridge early on Monday morning. As a surprise he took me on a trip to St Paul’s Cathedral and climbed with me to the top, even though he’s not very keen on heights either!
St Paul’s Cathedral is situated just north of the River Thames in Central London ... more
I visited this wonderful place many years ago when I was about 7 years old and my dad and I climbed up as far as the famous Whispering Gallery. We did not go right up to the top as mom was waiting for us at ground level – she’s not too good with climbs and heights! I had always wanted to return to complete the climb but had never got round to it until recently.
I had made a list of all the things that I wanted to do during my lifetime and one of these was to climb to the very top of St Paul’s Cathedral. A friend of mine lives in London and I went to stay with him for a weekend so that I could get to a work seminar near Tower Bridge early on Monday morning. As a surprise he took me on a trip to St Paul’s Cathedral and climbed with me to the top, even though he’s not very keen on heights either!
St Paul’s Cathedral is situated just north of the River Thames in Central London within yards of the St Paul’s tube station on the Central Line. The dome of this impressive building is visible for miles around. You get a lovely view of it from the river cruise, which runs between Greenwich and The Houses of Parliament. If you look to the north as you sail down the river St Paul’s Cathedral suddenly appears framed through a gap in the buildings.
St Paul’s Cathedral was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and is constructed of Portland Stone. Building work began in 1675 and it was completed in 1710. It replaced the former Gothic cathedral from the 13th century, which had been destroyed by The Great Fire of London in 1666.
The top of the cathedral is 365 feet from the ground and the dome, supported by 12 massive buttresses, is 112 feet in diameter.
If you want to climb St Paul’s Cathedral you must pay a small charge which is used to help pay for the upkeep of the cathedral. It costs more than 4 million pounds a year to keep St Paul’s open that’s about Ģ7 per minute!
The first place you reach after climbing 259stairs is The Whispering Gallery. The acoustics are such that whispers from one side of the gallery can be heard clearly on the other side over 100 feet away! It really does work and it’s quite a spooky experience.
You can then continue climbing the stairs as they circle, inside the wall cavity, around the dome until you get to the first viewing platform. You can then climb flights of wooden stairs to reach the very top. These stairs are quite narrow but don’t worry about meeting someone going in the opposite direction as there is one set of stairs for people going up and another set for those coming down.
The views over the City of London from the top of the cathedral are amazing. I am not keen on heights at all, if I feel the least bit unsafe, but up here I felt completely safe with the strong railings all the way round the edge of the platform, and I was able to enjoy the view without any fear.
Back down in the main body of the cathedral one of the most powerful exhibits, for me anyway, is the painting called The Light of the World, to which the title of my opinion refers. It was painted by William Hollum Hunt and depicts Christ knocking at a door. This is a symbol of Him knocking at the door of a heart and asking the question inscribed at the foot of the painting – “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me.” Wherever you stand before the painting the eyes of Christ are looking straight at you.
I once read a story about a guide showing people around the cathedral who stopped at the painting and, after describing it, she told the assembled gathering that the original of the painting had been sold for many millions of pounds. One of the visitors said ‘The original of that painting was sold for thirty pieces of silver’. For the non-Christians amongst you that is the amount the Judas Iscariot was paid for betraying Christ to the Roman soldiers.
Back to the cathedral – there are many famous tombs in the crypt including those of Wren, Turner, Nelson, Wellington and Reynolds. Wren’s epitaph is inscribed in Latin beneath the dome and translates as ‘Reader, if you seek his monument, look around you’.
The south-west tower contains a huge bell known as Great Paul, which weighs 17 tons. Now that would make your eyes water if it fell on you!
The High Altar was consecrated in 1958 after bombing in 1940 damaged the original one. There is also a chapel dedicated to 28,000 US servicemen who lost their lives during the war.
St Dunstan’s Chapel is set aside for private prayer and there is always a priest or a sister available for spiritual counsel.
As you would expect there is a shop in St Paul’s selling a good selection of souvenirs. In fact as I sit at my computer here I am facing a print of The Light of the World. There are also good toilet facilities.
St Paul’s is a working cathedral and there are four services each day to which anyone is warmly invited to attend.
Even if you have no religious convictions I would recommend a visit to St Paul’s for the sheer awe-inspiring beauty of the place. If you are a Christian, then take it from me, it will be a truly humbling experience.
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St Paul`s Cathedral is one of London`s most awe-inspiring sights.Its dome is the third largest in the world and its graceful bulk is an important feature of the City skyline.
The building also manages to communicate a sense of serenity,most notably in the famous of the dome untouched but wreathed in the smoke and flames of the blitz.
Wren`s original design for rebuilding St Paul`s was based on High Renaissance ideas,but it was considored too Italiante ... ...a traditional sanctuary rather than Wren`s Greek cross design.Wren adapted the plans,but kept the dome which gives the cathedral such a wonderfully uplifting atmosphere.
On entering the church it is natural to head for the crossing beneath the dome,through whose windows a strangely ambiguous golden light is filtered.In the pavement below it very centre is a memorial to Wren,composed by his son,which reads"Si monumentum requiris,circumspice"(if you ...
Versatile 11.08.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of St. Paulīs Cathedral, London
Advantages: A sight for all eyes Disadvantages: Vertigo
One factor about London that seemed lacking for quite some time was the fact that there was nowhere to go to look over the city and take in the views. Was it that there was nowhere to go, or was it no one knew where to go? Let me tell you the places to go(not that Im the only one who knows, but Im just making you aware of their existence if you didnt know already).
~~ The Monument ~~
~~ History ~~ The Monument was built in 1671 to 1677 as part ... ...Fire in 1666 that burnt the city to the ground. The Monument, designed by Christopher Wren who also designed St Pauls Cathedral, stands 202 feet high with exactly 311 steps to the platform at 133 feet. Why the 311 steps is of any significance, I dont know. If anything, it makes climbing this tower sound a daunting task. Going up is the one thing, going down is quite another. As building finished in 1677, lifts are an obvious omission. Yet, we cant ...
Kingswood 11.04.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of St. Paulīs Cathedral, London
Advantages: lovely & warm, serenic, intresting Disadvantages: Lots of steps, pay to get in,
Welcome to the house of god, but you'll have to pay to get in!
St Pauls is very attractive. This is where Princess Diana wed Price Charles, there was another wedding here at 2.30 this afternoon & they were playing the organ pipes at the time. The floor is of black/white tiles, theres long queues to enter, a & each tourist is given a ticket & guide map. We went to the vault where the café is. Its down a long flight of stairs & was unusually warm ... ...prices for the café are good, Ģ4.95 a meal. Theres a salad selection & small tables to sit at. Theres tombs here of Nelson, Wellington & a plaque to Florence Nightingale. The shop is interesting with things for chocolates, books about the cathedral & London, velvet scarves for Ģ40 & tree decorations for Christmas times. In the cathedral is a commemorative inscription to the famous artist Turner, put up by his brothers. We saw the Whispering Gallery, ...
Aura2 04.02.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of St. Paulīs Cathedral, London
Advantages: Major London Landmark Disadvantages: Pay to get in
I recently went to St Pauls and was appalled to see staff demanding a hefty fee to visit the house of God.
So, if you feel like just sitting under the dome for a few minutes contemplation, you are made to feel like you should pay up.
I just wanted to pray for a minute, but felt too embarrassed to ask for special permission to pass the turnstile for free.
Whatever next ? cash machines under the dome ?
It all sits badly with the idea of a church ...
beck1234567 06.12.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of St. Paulīs Cathedral, London
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