St Paul's Cathedral

Wren's iconic dome with Whispering Gallery and panoramic views

Wren's masterpiece, completed in 1710, dominates the City skyline in a way that London's newer towers haven't quite managed to diminish. The dome is famous; the Whispering Gallery inside it is the genuinely strange attraction — words whispered against the curved wall carry all the way around to listeners on the opposite side. Climb higher for panoramic views across the city. Below, the crypt holds the graves of Nelson and Wellington.

St Paul's Churchyard, City of London. Open Monday–Saturday.

things to do architecture the city
A story
During the Blitz in December 1940, the dome of St Paul's was photographed rising above the smoke of burning buildings all around it — a symbol of resistance that Churchill reportedly insisted be preserved at all costs. The surrounding area was devastated; St Paul's survived almost unscathed.

Other places in Things to Do in London