St.

Paul's Cathedral

A Project by Jackson Toomey

St. Paul's Cathedral

Location: Ludgate Hill, London, UK Built: 1675-1710 Architect: Sir Christopher Wren Height: 365 Feet

The current St. Paul's Cathedral is the fourth Cathedral to bear the name. It is a domed neoclassical church designed by Sir Christopher Wren. It is 365 feet high at the cross, and the total length is 574 feet. The nave is 223 feet long and 121 feet wide.

St. Paul's Floor Plan

The Nave

The Dome
One of the most prominent features of St. Paul's is the dome. The dome lies at the intersection of the nave and transepts at the center of the cross made by the cathedral. The dome consists of three domes, an exterior decorative dome, an interior dome, and a brick support dome that supports the other two. It is the second largest dome in the world.

The Interior & Exterior Domes

The Western Facade & Towers

The main entrance is located at the west end along with the westwork towers. The towers have an exaggerated void so as to make them stand out at a distance. The towers consist of central cylinders rising through the tiers and paired Corinthian columns.

Western Facade

The clock towers were not part of the original design, but were added by Wren in 1707.

The Nave
The Nave is the space intended for large congregation services. It contains many memorials, mostly to fallen service members. On either side are the aisles which have small domes that imitate the larger domes on the roof of the nave.

The Nave and an Aisle

Chapels
There are three small chapels in the aisles of the nave. St. Dustin's Chapel was one of the first parts of the cathedral to come into use. It was originally intended for small congregations and a few clergy to say morning prayers. The All Souls Chapel which is dedicated to the soldiers of World War I. There is also The Chapel of the Order of St. Michael and St. George which was originally used for the Bishop to pass judgement on the clergy.

The Importance of St. Paul's

St. Paul's is an important symbol of London, and one of the most prominent features on the London skyline. It was the location of the wedding between Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and was a symbol of British resistance during the battle of Britain in World War II. It was targeted by bombs several times and almost destroyed by one in 1940.

Sources
http://www.stpauls.co.uk/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Paul's_Cathedral http://www.gothereguide.com/st-pauls-cathedral+london-place/ http://www.britainexpress.com/London/st-pauls.htm http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Saint_Pauls_Cathedral.html http://www.sacred-destinations.com/england/london-st-paulscathedral