Overview
While Westminster Abbey gets the world’s attention, St. Paul’s Cathedral is more beloved by Londoners. This historic church has survived the dissolution of Catholic properties by Henry VIII, major fires in 1087, 1135, and 1661, the English Civil War, and the Nazi Blitz of the Second World War. Nothing has been able to destroy the spirit of the Cathedral.
Ceremonies at the church have included the funerals of the Duke of Wellington, Winston Churchill, and Margaret Thatcher, as well as the marriage of Lady Dinania and Prince Charles.
I don’t normally place images in articles, but this one is special. Taken during the Blitz, after a night of heavy bombing, London wondered if their beloved St. Paul’s survived. Here is the picture that moved the city
Herbert Mason – The Sphere Jan 04, 1941 page 1 St Paul’s Survives, a photograph of St Paul’s Cathedral taken on the 114th night of the Blitz
Early History of St Paul’s Cathedral
A complete history of the Cathedral could, and has, fill many volumes. It is hard to do it justice in a few paragraphs. Much of what I have written came from Wikipedia. During Roman London, Christian worship sites and buildings existed, but their exact locations and types are unknown. The first mention of a Cathedral in London dates to 604, at the same site as the current St. Paul’s.
It was recorded that King Æthelred the Unready was buried in the Cathedral in 1016. That church was destroyed by fire in 1087. The Normans built the next church. Another fire in 1135 destroyed the replacement building. The next big shock to the Cathedral came during the reign of Henry VIII.
History after the Reformation
Starting in 1527, Henry took more power and property away from the Catholic Church. St Paul’s became an Anglican (Church of England) cathedral rather than a Catholic one. During the reign of Cromwell and Parliament, a strict Puritanical version of Protestantism took over. This form believed that any art or decoration depicting religious themes was blasphemous and must be removed. This led to the removal and destruction of Catholic relics from St. Paul’s.
After the English Civil War, the building was falling down. When King Charles II was crowned, he declared that the church should be repaired or replaced. Yet another fire, this one in 1666, answered the question for the city. The church had to be replaced. The prolific architect of several churches in England, Christopher Wren, designed the new St. Paul’s. Work began in 1675, and it was completed in 1710. That building still stands and is in active use as a church.
Visiting St. Paul’s Cathedral
With all the free and inexpensive attractions in London, it may come as a shock that St Paul’s charges £27 per person. The church is open to worshippers every day.
A visitor can visit the main floor of the cathedral and the crypt. Guided tours are also available, but they end around 3 pm (15:00). Knowledgeable docents are on hand around the building to answer any questions. St. Paul’s is open to visitors every day but Sunday, from 8 to 4. Check the website for any scheduled closures or events that could affect hours.
Even with the cost of admission, the building is well worth your time to visit. There is a Tube station only steps from the Cathedral. Don’t skip St. Paul’s when in London.
