London Tickets
St Paul Cathedral

St Paul's Cathedral Chapels

Included with St Paul Cathedral tickets

Timings

RECOMMENDED DURATION

2 hours

Choir boys singing inside St. Paul's Cathedral, London, under ornate ceiling.

Quick overview

  • Access: Included in all St Paul's Cathedral tickets
  • Separate ticket: Not required
  • When you'll see it: Spread throughout the main floor and the crypt
  • Visit duration: 30–40 mins self-guided/20–30 mins with a guide
  • Best time: Early morning right at opening or late afternoon
  • Restrictions: Respectful silence in prayer spaces. No flash photography.

The St Paul's Cathedral chapels are fully included with all standard St Paul's Cathedral entry tickets; no separate ticket exists to visit them. These sacred spaces are distributed across the main cathedral floor and down within the atmospheric subterranean crypt. Book a standard sightseeing ticket or an audio-guided tour to explore these serene historical pockets at your own pace.

How to best experience the chapels

Best time to visit

Target the 8:30am opening slot on a weekday. The main floor chapels, like St Dunstan's, experience heavy tourist foot traffic by midday, which disrupts the quiet, reflective atmosphere and obscures the intricate woodcarvings.

How long to spend

Allow 5 to 10 minutes per major chapel. A self-guided walk takes about 30 minutes to see the main areas, while an official guide helps decode the hidden symbols within the American Memorial Chapel woodwork in about 20 minutes.

Where it fits in your itinerary

Save the OBE Chapel (St Faith's) for the end of your visit. It is located in the crypt alongside historical tombs. Pace your energy on the main floor first before heading downstairs.

Crowd patterns

The crypt and the high altar area get highly congested between 11am and 2pm. This makes it difficult to read the 473-page Roll of Honour in the American Memorial Chapel due to trailing tour groups.

What to prioritise if time is short

Head straight behind the high altar to see the American Memorial Chapel, dedicated to WWII soldiers. Then, head down to the crypt to see the massive, dedicated OBE Chapel space.

Common mistakes to avoid

Many visitors look only at the soaring dome and completely miss the smaller chapels lining the side aisles, like the Middlesex Chapel. Keep left and right along the nave walls to find them.

Best tickets to experience the chapels

Ticket typeWhy choose it

Standard entry

Walk the cathedral floor and crypt freely to view all public chapels.

Guided tour

Uncover the deep wartime history and symbolism behind the dedicated memorial spaces.

Why it's worth seeing

The chapels form the spiritual backbone of St Paul's Cathedral, housing deeply personal narratives that the grand architecture of the main dome overlooks. While millions look up at Sir Christopher Wren’s grand engineering, few realise that the east end holds a poignant nod to international alliance: a chapel built entirely to honour American soldiers based in Britain during World War II.

The American Memorial Chapel

Located directly behind the high altar, this apse features limewood carvings of American birds and plants alongside a handwritten Roll of Honour detailing 28,000 soldiers.

The OBE Chapel (St Faith's)

Tucked into the eastern end of the crypt, this expansive chapel serves the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire with dedicated, elegant 1960s glass panels.

The Chapel of St Dunstan

Situated in the north aisle of the nave, this peaceful sanctuary features beautifully preserved late 17th-century woodwork crafted by Jonathan Maine.

Historical & cultural significance

Commissioned during the post-WWII reconstruction, spaces like the American Memorial Chapel transformed parts of Sir Christopher Wren’s 1710 masterpiece into modern shrines of global remembrance. While the historical cathedral floor hosts royal celebrations, the chapels maintain the daily spiritual life of the church, hosting private weddings, specialised order services, and morning prayers.

👉 Explore the full history of St Paul's Cathedral

Know before you go

  • Open Monday to Saturday from 8:30am (Wednesday from 10am)
  • Last sightseer entry is typically at 4pm
  • Chapels are restricted to worshippers only during scheduled Sunday services
  • Special cathedral events can temporarily close specific sections of the crypt

​Detailed timings

  • Nearest tube stations: St. Paul's (Central Line) or Mansion House (District and Circle Lines)
  • Main Entrance: West Front entrance facing Ludgate Hill
  • Finding the chapels: Pick up a multimedia guide at entry to locate individual spaces across the floor and crypt

​Get directions

  • Wheelchair access: Step-free access is available via the South Churchyard entrance
  • Floor layout: Main floor chapels are completely flat and navigable
  • Crypt access: A structural lift connects the main floor to the OBE chapel in the crypt
  • Assistance: Accessible touch-turn maps and audio-descriptive guides are available

​Plan your visit

  • Photography: Non-flash photography is allowed, but strictly banned during services
  • Conduct: Visitors must maintain silence when entering designated prayer chapels
  • Bags: Large luggage pieces are not permitted inside the cathedral layout

​Plan your visit

Frequently asked questions about the chapels

Yes. Access to all public chapels on the main floor and crypt is included with your standard admission ticket.

More reads

St Paul's Cathedral main guide

St Paul's Cathedral crypt guide

History of the cathedral

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