Monday 13 January 2020

A VISIT TO ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL LONDON





Last week I was thrilled to finally pay a visit to the inside of St Paul's Cathedral here in London
having seen it many times from the outside. But what mainly inspired me to visit was the news
that the Cathedral authorities recently made a u turn on allowing photography inside the building.
Perhaps it has a lot to do with the instagram world we now live in. But before this, visitors were
regularly taking sneaky pictures of this truly wonderful building with their concealed cameras.

I was amazed to find out that as far back as 604 AD that there has always been some kind of
Church on these grounds. But it wasn't until 1710 that Architect Sir Christopher Wren laid the
final stone for the building that we still see today. And when he passed away he was buried in
the Cathedral with full honours.

Other great British historical heroes, Admiral Lord Nelson, and The 1st Duke of Wellington
were both given a lavish send off in the Cathedral and are both buried in the Crypt in the lower
floor.

And in 1965 Sir Winston Churchill was given a grand send off at the Cathedral.

Unfortunately the famous Whispering Gallery overlooking the main Cathedral Floor was closed
and it does seem a bit vague as to when it might re-open to the public.

I did though manage the gruelling journey of over 500 steps up to The Stone Gallery for some
great views of our capital skyline. In fact I did the journey twice as it was a bit overcast on my
first climb that morning.
And I sure felt the strain when I got back home. Remember when I visited THE MONUMENT there
was in fact only 300 steps to climb, and that was tough. So on last week's visit I covered around
2000 steps in one morning!

Below are a few images from my day at The Cathedral.

ST PAUL'S OFFICIAL HOME PAGE






BELOW: An introduction video via the Cathedral's HOME PAGE



Above: Outside and the front entrance to St Paul's.  The shaded statue is someone I often
assumed to be Queen Victoria. In fact it is of Queen Anne who was the ruling British monarch
at the time that the Cathedral was completed in 1710.



The main ground Cathedral floor houses many fine statues.

Above left:  A statue of writer Samuel Johnson.
Above right:  A statue in memory of Horatio Nelson.

Below: Standing in front of Britannia is The Admiral Earl Howe K.G.

Below:  The first set of wider steps that took me up to the outdoor
viewing gallery, and more than 500 steps in all.



Below:  Once you almost reach the top of the wider steps you are
then faced with several medieval tunnels and doorways (below)
which then leads to a quite narrow as well as steep staircase
that takes you to the outdoor viewing platform.

Below:  That final set of steep and narrow stairs that takes you
up to the outdoor Stone Gallery viewing platform.
And most of us climbing these final stairs were huffing
and puffing... not surprisingly.

Above:  Finally made it to the top at the Stone Gallery with some great
views of the London skyline.

Above:  Looking out to views of The London Shard building.

Below:  Looking over The Thames River towards Tate Britain.


Above:  Looking across views of The River Thames.


It wasn't until I left the Cathedral that I looked up and saw an even higher viewing
platform situated above the Dome. This was apparently the Golden Gallery which
I was unable to locate, only reaching the Stone Gallery at the base of the Dome.

Above:  A few visitors enjoying the highest point views from
the Cathedral's Golden Gallery.

Above is the final resting place of Admiral Horatio Nelson who was laid to rest here in the
lower floor Crypt at St Paul's Cathedral. His funeral at St Paul's on the 9th January 1806
was described as one of the grandest State occasions of it's era and lasted over five days.


Below:  Almost 50 years later Arthur Wellesley The 1st Duke of Wellington
was also laid to rest in the Crypt of St Paul's in 1852. He was given the
honour of a lavish State Funeral. And there was nothing to compare it to
until the State funeral of Sir Winston Churchill in 1965.


ABOVE ILLUSTRATION IS OF A PACKED OUT ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL FOR THE
STATE FUNERAL OF THE 1st DUKE OF WELLINGTON IN 1852.
IMAGE VIA THE ST PAUL'S HOME PAGE.

Above:  Also situated in the Crypt is the Cathedral Gift Shop as well as the
Cafe and Tea Room.

Well, if you've got money to burn then you might like these set of bookends
for only £175 each from the Gift Shop.

Above:  The Cathedral Choir stalls. Of course it must be quite
something to actually hear the Choir performing in the Cathedral
particularly around Christmas when they regularly perform in
Carol concerts.
Amazingly the first St Paul's Choir was formed around 900 years ago.

ST PAUL'S CHOIR FACEBOOK PAGE.

Above:  Looking up towards the Dome ceiling.

10 comments:

  1. Stunning. I have never seen the interior and what great views. 242 steps in KL is my record. That was enough.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, a wonderful place. And it was only the u-turn on public photography that
      made me go there. I don't think you would have liked those never ending steps.
      But I had to go up there again as the clouds cleared, unlike the skies over
      Melbourne today.
      I was sure you were going to post about whether they might cancel The Aussie
      Tennis Open this weekend. It's all over our news today.

      Delete
  2. Beautiful, simply outstanding photos.
    Gives me the desire to visit London sometime.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks JiEL, Yes it is a spectacular Cathedral. London is always worth a visit with plenty to see.
    Dee.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Need binoculars to see up high in the dome. Check for dust. Would need a chiropractor are a visit. My neck would ache.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Neil, The 'Whispering Gallery' just below the Dome would have allowed you to see more up there, but it's been closed off to the public for some time.
      And you wouldn't want to take on the 500 steps.

      Delete
    2. Stairs? I don't do stairs much higher than I am tall. Best for when I drank to much and might fall. The medieval passageways with their worn uneven steps. Doorways entrance covered black caked on human DNA from 300 years back. I'll wait downstairs thank you. Safer too. Can watch out for bears. Not the gays ones either.

      Delete
    3. Neil, There is actually a small lift to take you to the top viewing platform. But I wouldn't risk the journey up that way.

      Delete
  5. Until you visit St. Paul's, one can only imagine the sound of the choir carrying through the bellows of that cathedral.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ken, Yes I just watched on my tv (via youtube) the BBC documentary "Christmas at St Paul's." (uploaded by Nick Read).
      I really enjoyed it. Seems that once the 1st of December arrives then the Cathedral gets into the whole spirit of
      Christmas. it also follows the boys from the Choir as they perform in Carol concerts right up to Christmas Day.
      Look it up. It's worth watching. Dee.

      Delete

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