St. Paul's Cathedral

taking everything in and listening to the audioguide which was very helpful. I also climbed to the top. I’m not usually afraid of heights, but I did feel a little anxious being up so high. At the first landing, the “Whispering Gallery”, I backed off from looking down at the nave. Instead I sat down to take a break and take in the view of the dome. Then I felt a little anxious going up those spiral iron staircases. I wondered if they were really designed to hold the weight of the continuous line of people going up, and tried not to look down through the staircases at the visible drop. Then at the top there were some narrow staircases I thought might be a tight squeeze for a heavy person. Before getting outside at the very top, there’s a small area which is the inside of the top of the dome where there’s a small window to look down on the nave. To get an idea of how high that was, the people down there looked like ants. I knelt down to look through it just long enough for a quick view and a couple pictures, because the metal plate surrounding the window didn’t seem very sturdy. Finally I went outside to the top of the dome where I got some great views and pictures of the city. I’m glad I went all the way up, but I only recommend it if you’re not afraid of heights and fit enough to do it. I saw some winded older people taking breaks on their way up.

It’s a bit pricey to get in an the queue is usually quite long, but it’s definitely worth it. Make sure you go all the way up to the top if you can make it!

This was definately my favorite church I’ve visited in Europe, far surpassing Paris’s Notre Dame and even the Vatican in beauty and awe inspiring potential. I can’t really explain it… St. Peter’s in Rome is much larger, significant and more ornate but there is just something about London’s Catheral that made my visit here more enjoyable. Walking in just literally takes your breath away, seeing the incredible interiors and chandeliers, and when you begin to embark up to the top on your first landing, the famous “Whispering Gallery,” looking down on the nave and seeing the tiny tourists and worshippers, you realize that you haven’t seen anything yet! I loved climbing the dome- it was one of the highlights of my trip. Outside, the view is just as amazing, especially considering that during the Second World War most of the area around the Cathedral was rubble. Today, though, the contrast between the modern cityscape and the magnificent white baroque church make for a fantastic experience that one will not soon forget! When you re-enter the dome to get to the final level, you pass through a room where you can look through a small glass piece and you realize you are standing right over the top of the dome! It is absolutely terrifying but makes you realize how trully enormous this building is! The secondview is even better than the first! London may have been my least favorite city I’ve visited, but its central church is a sure winner indeed!

was on a school trip. I remember being disappointed that there were too many of us in the Whispering Gallery to test out the acoustics.

The gardens to the side are a lovely place to sit at lunchtime, away from all the nearby bustling roads.

You can get a great view of it from the Millennium Bridge (or, as we call it, the Wobbly Bridge – even though they fixed the wobble). It always reminds of that iconic photo of the London skyline during the Blitz, with the dome of St. Paul’s rising from the smoke.

I sang here with some people from my high school choir. AMAZING acoustics for choral music.

Make sure you take the walk up to the top…....so worth it

Wren’s epitaph in the Cathedral is concise but powerful. “Si monumentum requiris circumspice” – “if you seek my monument, look around”.

only wish my camera could do better night shots!

what more can I say aside from I love it and find it so refreshing and relaxing.

2005