St Paul's Cathedral

the long version

Sir Christopher Wren's St Paul's, built after the Fire of London of 1666, has become the City's most familiar landmark, its dome with the ball and cross above it symbolic of London's steadfastness down the centuries and its endurance during the Second World War. When it was newly completed, in the early eighteenth century, it seemed breathtaking and unlike any other cathedral or church in Britain. Today's building is not the first to occupy the site, for this has been a place of Christian worship for 1,400 years. The medieval Cathedral, with a tower and spire soaring above the city, was at the time one of the wonders of Europe. Beautifully illustrated with rare items from city and cathedral archives, and glorious colour photography of today's building and its treasures, St Paul's Cathedral: 1,400 Years at the Heart of London tells of St Paul's fascinating history.