Saint Paul's Cathedral

We were walking into the side entrance to the church yard at Saint Paul's Cathedral, hoping to find an easy way around to the main entrance in front.

Whatya know?  Old John Wesley shows up again, this time in bronze.

With his brother Charles and others, founder of Methodism.

Christopher Wren had already been selected to refurbish the Old Saint Paul's Cathedral when the Great Fire of 1666 burned the old church down (the Great Plague had occurred just one year earlier in 1655).  An eyewitness to the fire said it was like a hideous storm, stones of Saint Paul's flew from the building and the lead melted down the streets in a stream.

There has been a church dedicated to Saint Paul on this site for over 1,400 years, since 604.  Charles and Diana were married here.  Churchill and Thatcher had their funerals here.  The church with a 365 foot high dome still rises majestically above the neighborhood.

The story of Saint Paul's conversion is told in the stone pediment.

Queen Anne was on the throne when the new church was finished in 1710, the statue in front portrays her.

Inside the building is magnificent, a great stone edifice with lavish decoration.  This is the view from the nave forward towards the dome and the choir.

From underneath the dome, looking forward towards the choir and the high altar.

The pulpit on the right is the spot from which nearly all of the preaching is done here.  Martin Luther King spoke here.  After his assassination his widow, Coretta Scott King spoke from the same pulpit.

From under the dome looking straight up.

The FT took the 257 steps up to the first gallery.  This time I did not join her.

I have previously on this blog featured Napoleon's Tomb at Les Invalides in Paris.  This completes a set of a Waterloo sort.  This is the tomb of Wellington in the crypt at Saint Paul's.

It was VERY dark down there.  This photo is yet another tribute to the light gathering capabilities of a good, modern digital camera.  This photo would be nearly impossible with film.