Saint-Paul Cathedral

Welcome to St Paul’s Cathedral, one of the largest cathedrals in the world, with its 110-metre-high dome!  However, it wasn’t an easy journey… Over the centuries, the cathedral has suffered numerous incidents that have forced several architects to built and restore it over and over again… Five times, to be specific! Let’s go back to the very beginning of the cathedral’s history. A temple dedicated to Diana, the goddess of hunting, stood here in Roman times. In 604, the first cathedral was made out of wood, burning down less than a century later. It was then rebuilt in stone, thus ensuring that it would not be ravaged by fire again; a few centuries latercome the Vikings, who destroyed it a second time . A third cathedral was built, only to burnt down at the same time as London in the fire of 1087. The Normans tried to rebuild it, but the wooden roof was ravaged by the flames of yet another fire… Should I go on? Struck by lightning in the 16th century, converted into a stable in the 17th century and then ravaged by the flames of the Great Fire of London in 1666, this cathedral definitely had the world against it! However, Christopher Wren decided to rebuild the cathedral after the fire, in a style that combined classical and baroque architecture in spectacular dimensions. It eventually managed to remain standing for the last few centuries, although it narrowly escaped destruction during World War II, when a detonating bomb struck it: fortunately this time, fate was on its side, as the bomb was successfully foiled and transported elsewhere, before itcould destroy this emblematic monument yet again. Today, it stands proudly in the heart of the City of London, amidst modern buildings in this bustling financial district frequented by millions of visitors. Inside this architectural masterpiece, a crypt houses the tombs of prominent figures such as the Duke of Wellington, Winston Churchill and Christopher Wren, the man who undertook the reconstruction of the cathedral and many other buildings after the fire. Like St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, you can climb up to the dome for a stunning view of London. If you decide to visit the dome, you will also pass through the Gallery of Whispers, a unique place where acoustics play tricks on us: if you whisper in this gallery, your whisper will be heard by the person on the opposite side of the room, more than 34 metres away! This impressive feature is due to its rounded shape, which allows sound to follow the walls to reach the other side of the dome… Definitely worth a try if you’re curious!