L is for London » W

Grand designs

Hogs Back Books — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 19:25:04 +0000

Christopher Wren’s plans to knock down and rebuild the old St Pauls cathedral had been rejected. Six days later it burned down in the Great Fire anyway.

Careful what you say

Hogs Back Books — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 22:32:47 +0000

The dome of St Paul’s Cathedral is the second biggest dome in the world, after St Peter’s in Rome. At its base is the Whispering Gallery, a circular walkway halfway up the inside of the dome. Due to the acoustics of the curved surface, a phrase whispered against one wall can be heard against the far wall 112 feet away.

St Paul’s

Hogs Back Books — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 22:29:19 +0000

St Paul’s Cathedral was built between 1675 and 1711 by Sir Christopher Wren. The foundation stone was laid in 1675 when Wren was 43 years old, and the last stone was put in lace by his son 35 years later. It was the fifth cathedral on the site. The previous Norman one was even larger than Wren’s building and had the tallest ever spire. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London of 1666.