St Paul's Cathedral

What to expect

St Paul's is the baroque cathedral on Ludgate Hill designed by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire destroyed the medieval church in 1666. It was built between 1675 and 1710 and paid for in part by a tax on coal. The dome is 111 m high and was the tallest building in London from 1710 until 1963. The cathedral came through the Blitz, and a photograph taken in 1940, St Paul's Survives, became one of the best-known images of wartime London.

Inside, the main floor is a vast, light space where state funerals have been held, including Nelson, Wellington and Churchill. You can climb into the dome galleries for views over the city, and go down into the crypt, one of the largest in Europe. Guided and self-guided tours run daily. It is a working cathedral, so some areas close for services.

Don't miss

• The dome seen from outside
• The Stone and Golden Galleries
• The crypt, burial place of national heroes
• The cathedral floor beneath the dome
• Monuments to national heroes

Tips for your visit

• Climb the dome early in the day, before it gets busier.
• Dress respectfully and expect services to close parts of the building at times.
• Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe are on the other side of the river.
• Plan about two hours for the cathedral and dome.