St. Paul's Cathedral, London

St. Paul's Cathedral, London (must see)

For centuries, Saint Paul's Cathedral has stood tall, quite literally, as London鈥檚 ultimate comeback story in stone form. After the Great Fire of 1666 turned the medieval cathedral (originally founded in 1087) into a smoldering memory, Sir Christopher Wren got the challenge of designing the masterpiece we see today.

Construction began in 1675 and took 35 years. Wren鈥檚 first design was too modern. The second-too modern again and too Catholic-looking. He eventually struck a deal with the Anglican clergy: throw in a classic English spire, but sneak in a magnificent triple-stacked dome instead. Now it鈥檚 the second-largest cathedral dome in the world after St. Peter鈥檚 in Rome. Subtle flex.

During WWII and the Blitz, flames again came for the cathedral, and again, it stood its ground. Brave volunteers fought fires on the dome, saving it from complete destruction. Saint Paul鈥檚 became a beacon of hope in the rubble. Fittingly, above the south entrance, you鈥檒l spot the Latin word "Resurgam," meaning 鈥淚 shall rise again.鈥� Very on brand.

Inside, the cathedral is pure English Baroque drama. Climb 257 steps to the Whispering Gallery, where even your gossip echoes in style. Add another 119 steps for the Stone Gallery and 152 more for the Golden Gallery-because apparently, stairs build character. But the panoramic views of London are worth every calf cramp.

Down below in the crypt, you鈥檒l find the final resting places of national legends: the Duke of Wellington, Admiral Nelson, and of course, Wren himself. His epitaph reads: 鈥淚f you seek his monument, look around you.鈥�

Saint Paul鈥檚 was basically Dickens' favorite rooftop. In Master Humphrey鈥檚 Clock, he climbs to the top for a bird鈥檚 eye view of life鈥檚 contradictions, which, come to think of it, London is full of. In David Copperfield, Peggotty enjoys the view too. Dickens knew this neighborhood well and even attended the Duke of Wellington鈥檚 funeral here in 1852.

Back in Shakespeare鈥檚 day, the area around Saint Paul鈥檚 was bustling with booksellers. This was the epicenter of the English publishing world- the Bard鈥檚 plays were printed and sold right here. Odds are he browsed the stalls himself, possibly muttering, 鈥淭o plagiarize, or not to plagiarize...鈥�

And for the modern-day wizarding crowd: yes, that staircase you recognize from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is real. The magical-looking Geometric Staircase-aka the Dean鈥檚 Stair-floats elegantly in the cathedral鈥檚 South West Bell Tower. You might remember it from Professor Trelawney鈥檚 Divination class or The Goblet of Fire. You鈥檒l need a ticket to see it, but for Potterheads, it鈥檚 practically a rite of passage.

Tip:
Book online to skip the queue. And maybe spring for the audio tour-unless you鈥檝e got me in your ear, of course.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in London. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Sight Name: St. Paul's Cathedral
Sight Location: London, England (See walking tours in London)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

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