World Travel Guide Online

From the Ashes – St. Paul’s Cathedral
London, England, United Kingdom

For an American, the old world takes some mental adjustments. The people there live surrounded by physical testaments to their history. Even on the East Coast, in the U.S., something is considered ancient if it’s been standing for over a hundred years. So, imagine standing in front of a 300 year old classically styled building and hearing it referred to as “new.”

It may seem strange to a yank, but St. Paul’s Cathedral is sometimes referred to as “New St. Paul’s” Being it’s not the first St. Paul’s, I guess that’s a fair acknowledgment. Legend places a temple for Diana on the very same site back in Roman times. And since then, there have been multiple churches on the site dedicated to St. Paul.

The City Shot

St. Paul’s has had a history of fire and renewal. If London had a phoenix, it would be St. Paul’s that was born from the ashes of the old. The First church on the site to be dedicated to St. Paul
was a 7^th century cathedral that was destroyed by fire in 1087. Later, a Norman cathedral, completed in the 1300’s, followed the Saxon structure. This second structure was partially lost to fire in 1561. In an effort to preserve the structure, repairs including a new classical façade had been completed by 1628. However a scant 40 years later, little remained of the Norman structure.

“Old St. Paul’s Cathedral,” the Norman structure, was all but destroyed by the Great Fire of 1666. The fire was so large that some accounts record that eighty percent of the architecture of old London was lost in the span of three days. Despite the fact that apparently only a handful of people lost their lives, thousands were homeless, and Old St. Paul’s was one of 89 churches lost to the flames. The only positive outcomes of the event seem to be that a new London emerged that was more fire resistant and a massive number of rats, which were responsible for spreading the plague the previous year, died. Visiting London, you’re likely to hear repeated references to the Great Fire because of the impact it had on the shape of modern London.

Two years after the Great Fire, Sir Christopher Wren was granted authority as architect of the New St. Paul’s. He had also submitted plans for a complete redesign of the city that were rejected because of the time and money for such an undertaking. In fact, Wren’s early design for St. Paul’s was rejected, as the Clergy desired a church more in keeping with Norman designs. The project took 40 years, but Wren lived to see the project completed and managed to secretly carry-through with some of his original plans. It is amazing that the dome, which now seems an integral part of the skyline, was originally rejected.

Wren’s structure, which survives today, was badly damaged during World War II. Like London, however, St. Paul’s endures. Repairs were carried out according to Wren’s plans, and one would be hard pressed to tell what was lost in the bombing. But for the curious tourist, there are plaques commemorating not only the damage in WWII, but also the groups who kept watch on St. Paul’s during WWII to keep it from being lost to flames again. And St. Paul’s came back even truer to Wren’s designs. Various repairs were made per plan instead of sticking to the compromises of Wren’s day. For instance, it’s easy to see why Wren wanted clear glass in the dome and other windows., not the stained glass preferred in his day. Even in winter, the sun entering the dome and upper windows reflects brilliantly off of murals and gilded embellishments. Surely it could not have been as grand in the dimmer light shed by stained glass.

A visitor to today’s St. Paul’s cannot help but be impressed not just by the beauty but by the significance of this place. Upon entering its doors, there’s a true feeling of walking in the footsteps of history. Londoners have worshipped, prayed, and paid respects to the dead here for hundreds of years. Even with all the evidence of restoration work currently present, the scaffolds and tarps do not detract from the quiet reverence inspired by its architecture and pedigree.

An audio tour guide for the cathedral seems ideal as one can walk at his or her own pace and stay longer where the spirit moves. These guides can be rented at the same time one is paying the entrance fee (the proceeds go towards maintenance and restoration of the cathedral). Unfortunately, photography is not allowed inside. You will also be admonished to remove your hat or cap if you’re a man. However, there are still a few opportunities for photos (and the cap) during your tour. Even if that were not the case, the memories alone are worth the admission.

Wandering Outside

The main floor of the cathedral, a natural staring point, is in the shape of a Latin cross. The dome, the exterior size of which is second only to St. Peter’s in Rome, sits across the juncture of the cross. Light from the dome and upper windows diffuses throughout the cathedral. Along the nave and arms of the cross, are a variety of chapels and monuments. The most impressive of the monuments is probably Wellington’s, which was not completed until 60 years after his death. At the far eastern end of the cathedral, beyond the high alter and the Quire is the Apse, which has, since 1958, housed the American Memorial Chapel, which honors American war dead who died in Britain or en route to her shores during WWII. It seems somehow strange to see contemporary Americana memorialized in a 300-year-old Cathedral in London, but the stained glass windows installed in this chapel in 1960, do pay tribute to America.

A visit to St. Paul’s includes the opportunity to get a vertical workout. The dome that rises above St. Paul’s includes several “galleries” as it rises to touch the sky. The dome is actually a series of shells that obscure the framework that supports it. The stairs to the first gallery are timeworn. They appear to have originally been stonework that later had wood treads placed over it. Even the wood treads have grooves etched into them from the many visitors over the years. It’s a long climb, but the steps have a very gentle rise. The first stop on the climb is the “Whispering Gallery” � so-called because if someone whispers near the wall of this gallery, the conversation may be heard against the opposite wall. The gallery stands over 90 feet above the floor of the cathedral and is an excellent opportunity to rest and watch the comings and goings of church personnel and visitors.

Leaving the Whispering Gallery, one may still continue upward, but the next stop is on the outside of the dome. The stairs to the next section were likely never intended for tourists. Climbing through the winding low-ceilinged tunnels through the structure of the dome feels a lot like a rat trying to find the top of the habit-trail. Even at 5′8″, I often found myself hunching over as I emerged from one staircase or another. But emerging from the last one, I was greeted with a slightly obscured vista of the city from the “Stone Gallery.” Standing over 170 feet, stone railings surround this Gallery. In between the arch work, one gets glimpses of the Thames and the business districts. There are benches to rest on and some visitors considered their climb complete here.

The Outside View

However, for the adventurous, or perhaps foolhardy, the climb can continue. The final stairs are a series of open spiral staircases with periodic open landings. For anyone timid about heights, it’s a struggle. When arriving at the top, a sign by the door warns one to secure any loose items before exiting, and the moment the wind hits, you understand the caveat too well. Still, the “Golden Gallery” at 280 feet, has to be among the best places to get aerial shots of the city. I encountered only a few people here, and the gallery is small, so passing one another required being a little friendly. The metal railings, only waist high, are weather-beaten but secure and don’t prevent your attempts at taking some breathtaking photos of the city.

Even though at this point it feels like you’ve climbed halfway to heaven, the tour is not complete, because all the way down below the main floor is the Crypt, which houses the Order of the British Empire chapel and the tombs of a variety of former British citizenry. This is your opportunity to pay respects to everyone from architects like Wren, to military heroes like Wellington and Nelson, and an array of scientists and scholars. An audio tour of this area is both stupefying and dizzying. Which way is west? Where is the tomb the guide is discussing? Perhaps if I had eaten a real breakfast, I wouldn’t have been so confused, but I only found maybe a third of the tombs for which I was being fed information.

Had I been interested in re-fueling myself (at a premium price I imagine), St. Paul’s Crypt includes a café. I decided to pass on lunch with the dead, but I did wander through the small museum housed nearby. I also bought a few souvenirs for myself and others in the gift shop. Upon leaving, I looked back to the building for a few parting shots. Inside and out, St. Paul’s is a work of art, and it’s easier, after visiting, to understand the epitaph that Wren’s son chose for his father’s tomb in the crypt. Translated from Latin, it reads, “Reader, if you seek his monument, look about you.” And surely, a fitting memorial it is to Wren and the people of London
and well worth the time to visit.