St. Paul’s Cathedral, designed by the architect Sir Christopher Wren, is an Anglican cathedral and one of London’s most iconic buildings. It is located on top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London. Its famous lead-covered dome is one of the world’s largest, and at 111 m (365 ft), it was the tallest building in London from its completion in 1710 until 1967.
The current cathedral is the fifth building on the site of Ludgate Hill, the original church having been founded in 604 AD. The fourth, Old St. Paul’s was a huge Gothic cathedral built by the Normans and regarded as one of the masterpieces of medieval Europe, with a tower and spire reaching a height of 489 ft. It was destroyed by the Great Fire of 1666, following which, a decision was taken to build a new cathedral from scratch.
St. Paul’s is one of the most significant buildings in terms of national identity, with propaganda images showing it remaining unscathed having become synonymous with the wartime Blitz. It has also been the location for the funerals of Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and Sir Winston Churchill; as well as the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana.