St Paul’s Cathedral architecture I Construction and design

Influenced by Italian and Baroque styles observed during his visit to Paris, Christopher Wren, in his 50-year career, designed 53 London churches, including St Paul's Cathedral. Following the Great Fire of London in 1666, he proposed reconstructing St Paul's with a dome, which was met with disagreements from the royals and English clergy.

Robert Hooke, an English scientist and architect, collaborated closely with Wren in designing St Paul's Cathedral. Though less celebrated than Wren, Hooke's contributions were notable, particularly in shaping the dome's structure. His theories, published in anagram form, influenced the cathedral's structural design.

St Paul's Cathedral saw three iterations before Christopher Wren's masterpiece. The first cathedral, founded in 604 AD, marked the beginning of this long history on Ludgate Hill. The second, started in 1087, was destroyed, prompting the creation of the Old St Paul's Cathedral, a Gothic marvel with a towering spire, which was ultimately destroyed by the Great Fire of 1666.

After the Great Fire, Wren was commissioned to design a replacement structure. Inspired by contemporary Renaissance trends in Italian architecture, Wren combined English medieval cathedral traditions with Inigo Jones' classical style and Mansart's French buildings. The final design, strongly influenced by St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, adopted a restrained Baroque style.

St Paul's Cathedral was constructed using Portland stone, a durable and elegant light grey limestone from Dorset, which formed the cathedral's exterior. Inside, intricate marble floors, colorful stone mosaics, and ornate ironwork enhance its beauty. Wren's innovative design features a triple dome system, with the outer dome covered in wood and lead.

The West Front is the main entrance with a 30-foot-high Great West Door (which is only opened completely for special occasions). There is a columned portico along with an upper columned colonnade. The pediment has the Conversion of St Paul, a bas-relief sculpture by Francis Bird. Above this pediment lies three different statues of Saints James, Paul, and Peter. Finally, framing the portico on either side are two bell towers known as West Towers.

The two-story body of the church and its walls are made of granite stone, in the shape of a Greek cross with nearly equal-length arms. The exterior wall supports the buttresses of the vault and provides a beautiful appearance when viewed, rising above buildings of the 17th-century city. You can still see the building of St Paul’s Cathedral from across the River Thames. You can also see the Corinthian pillars and windows between them from far.

When visiting St Paul's Cathedral, admire its impressive dome from the transept. Weighing nearly 65,000 tons, this grand structure is supported by eight Dorset stone piers and arches, distributing its weight evenly. The dome's interior features a stunning fresco by James Thornhill depicting scenes from Saint Paul's life. Light enters through openings in the outer dome and brick cone, illuminating the interior and supporting the inner dome.

The High Altar and Apse are in the cathedral's eastern section. Funded by British citizens, the Apse later became the American Memorial Chapel in 1958, honoring over 28,000 Americans who died in World War II. The High Altar, designed by Christopher Wren and carved from Italian marble, features a ten-foot cross and two gilded candlesticks commemorating World War II victims. An oak canopy, added in 1958, covers the altar.

The West Front features two Baroque bell towers, the West Towers. The southwest tower houses four clock bells, including the 5-ton 'Great Tom' and the 16.75-ton ‘Great Paul,' England's largest bell, currently silent due to a broken chiming mechanism. These bells mark hours and toll for significant deaths. The northwest tower holds 12 change ringing bells, and the Service Bell, in use for daily services at the Cathedral.