St. Paul's Cathedral, London Review

Overall 5.00 of 5 (by 1 user)

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JChancey
Chelsea, AL

The best view of London and worth every step to the top!

adventurous, budget-conscious traveler, family traveler, a world traveler, seeker of fun and interesting places, an avid and frequent traveler, love to travel, museum goer

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Pros

Breathtaking architecture, Beautiful artwork, Fabulous 360-degree view from the top, Fascinating crypt with museum

Cons

High admission fee, Stairs not for the clausterphobic, Photos not allowed inside

MAY

2008

I visited St. Paul's with friends during a 2007 trip to London. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1663, this magnificent cathedral is every bit as gorgeous as pictures suggest. While the entry fee (7 pounds at the time) is a bit stiff--particularly with the collapsed state of the American dollar--I'd still rate this as a "not-to-miss" attraction in London.

The exterior will be familiar to anyone who's seen the "Feed the Birds" scene from Disney's "Mary Poppins" or photos from the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Di. The interior is so breathtaking that it almost defies description. While Westminster Abbey is a combination of memorial and museum with its crowded graves and markers, the sheer open spaces of St. Paul's inspire awe and wonder. The great dome with its Whispering Gallery and paintings from the life of St. Paul could easily occupy an art and architecture fan for an hour.

We decided to brave the long climb to the top (over 500 steps), and the spectacular view was well worth it. Do be warned that the stairway and passages to reach the top are not for the clausterphobic or for anyone who has difficulty with stairs (your knees will hurt when you finish this climb!). But if you don't mind tight spaces and winding passages, the climb is a must-do. You get a 360-degree view of the entire city--perfect for both the amateur and veteran photographer. You can also look straight across the Milennium Bridge to the Tate Museum and Shakespeare's Globe (see my review).

Go back down the stairs and pass through the crypt to see its famous occupants and a fascinating museum display chronicling the history of this cathedral and all the previous ones that stood on this site. St. Paul's was absolutely one of our favorite stops, even though the day was windy. Don't miss it if you have the chance to go!

Last edited on May 14, 2008

St. Paul's Cathedral, London is recommended by JChancey

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Comments about JChancey’s Review

LadyMagic wrote on May 11, 2008 at 1:45PM

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Loved your review. Too bad they don't have an elevator.

vytas wrote on May 9, 2008 at 10:23AM

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Good job! Thanks for the review. You've managed to reignite my desire to get to London sooner rather than later. Do you have any pics of the interior?

kid-kansas wrote on May 7, 2008 at 9:10PM

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Would love to go there myself. If I could make a friendly suggestion, I love the review but you might want to break the long ones up into smaller paragraphs. I would make it more appealing to readers. ;) Ron

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Destination Name	St. Paul's Cathedral, London
Region	Europe
State/Locale	United Kingdom

St. Paul's Cathedral, London Review

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