Home > Destinations > Europe > England > London > Attractions > St. Paul's Cathedral
Frommers.com Frommers.com
Most Recent London Forum Posts
Most Recommended Articles
Most Commented Articles
  Print This Article Print Get Frommer's RSS Feed RSS

London Map: St. Paul's CathedralSt. Paul's Cathedral Frommer's Exceptional

Hours Cathedral (excluding galleries) Mon-Sat 8:30am-4pm; galleries Mon-Sat 9:30am-4pm
Location St. Paul's Churchyard, EC4
Transportation Tube: St. Paul's, Mansion House, Cannon St., and Blackfriars
Phone 020/7246-8350
Web site www.stpauls.co.uk
Prices Cathedral and galleries £10 adults, £9 seniors and students, £3.50 children 6-16, £24 family ticket, free for children 5 and younger; guided tours £3 adults, £2.50 students and seniors, £1 children; recorded tours £4, free for children 5 and younger
Season No sightseeing Sun (services only)

Frommer's Review

During World War II, newsreel footage reaching America showed St. Paul's Cathedral standing virtually alone among the rubble of the City, its dome lit by fires caused by bombings all around it. That the cathedral survived at all is a miracle, since it was badly hit twice during the early years of the bombardment of London. But St. Paul's is accustomed to calamity, having been burned down three times and destroyed by invading Norsemen. The old St. Paul's was razed during the Great Fire of 1666, making way for a new structure designed by Sir Christopher Wren and built between 1675 and 1710. The cathedral is architectural genius Wren's ultimate masterpiece.

The classical dome of St. Paul's dominates the City's square mile. The golden cross surmounting it is 110m (361 ft.) above the ground; the golden ball on which the cross rests measures 2m (6 1/2 ft.) in diameter, though it looks like a marble from below. In the interior of the dome is the Whispering Gallery, an acoustic marvel in which the faintest whisper can be heard clearly on the opposite side. Sit on one side, have your traveling companions sit on the other, and whisper away. You can climb to the top of the dome for a 360-degree view of London. A second steep climb leads from the Whispering Gallery to the Stone Gallery, which opens onto a panoramic view of London. Another 153 steps take you to the Inner Golden Gallery, situated at the top of the inner dome. Here an even more panoramic view of London unfolds.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.


Back to Top


  Print This Article Print Get Frommer's RSS Feed RSS


Destination Guide
Destination Guide Destination Guide Destination Guide
Destination Guide Destination Guide Frommer's London 2010 Destination Guide Frommer's London 2010

Author: Darwin Porter
Pub Date: September 28, 2009
Price: $19.99

Add to Cart
Destination Guide Destination Guide Destination Guide Related Titles:
England For Dummies, 4th Edition
Destination Guide
England With Your Family
Destination Guide
Frommer's 24 Great Walks in Dublin, 1st Edition
Destination Guide
Destination Guide Destination Guide
Destination Guide Destination Guide Destination Guide
Destination Guide
Destinations
Destinations
Home > Destinations > Europe > England > London > Attractions > St. Paul's Cathedral

Frommer's Star Ratings

Frommer's Recommended 0 stars Frommer's Recommended
Frommer's Highly Recommended 1 stars Frommer's Highly Recommended
Frommer's Very Highly Recommended 2 stars Frommer's Very Highly Recommended
Frommer's Exceptional 3 stars Frommer's Exceptional

About Our System

Frommer's ranks every hotel, restaurant, attraction, shop, and nightlife establishment it reviews for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating scale, an expression of the strong compare-and-contrast opinions that are a brand hallmark.

Other ratings provide stars based primarily on price and amenities; the Frommer's star rating is meant to quantify the kind of intangible, experiential elements that help travelers make informed decisions.

The "baseline" recommendation is zero stars--every hotel, restaurant, attraction, shop, and nightlife establishment that Frommer's chooses to review is recommended; otherwise, we simply wouldn't include it.

Close Window