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St. Paul's Cathedral is London’s largest church. After the Great
Fire of London in 1666, the medieval cathedral of St. Paul's was in ruins.
Sir Christopher Wren was selected to rebuild the church. His
grandiose 1672 Great Model plan was not popular but his determination paid
off, as can be seen from the grandeur of the present cathedral, considered
his masterpiece. The golden cross surmounting it is 365 feet above
ground; the golden ball on which it rests is 6 feet in diameter. The
lantern, ball, and cross weigh a total of 850 tons. Surrounding the
interior of the dome is the Whispering Gallery, an acoustical marvel where
the faintest whisper can be heard on the opposite side. Aided
by some of the finest craftsmen of his day, Wren created an interior of
grand majesty and Baroque splendor, a worthy setting for the many great
ceremonial events that have taken place here. These include the
funeral of Winston Churchill in 1965 and the wedding of Prince Charles and
Lady Diana Spencer in 1981. The Duke of Wellington and Sir Christopher
Wren are buried here. The dome of St. Paul's Cathedral was the
inspiration for the dome of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C.
In an
image below one can see the clever way recent renovation is being masked by the
covered scaffolding. Another image is of an artist's depiction
shortly after completion of the Cathedral. The last image was taken
before renovation began.
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