St Paul's Cathedral

Overview

Discover the nave - a long central aisle on the cathedral floor which provides a breath-taking view of the dome. View a monument to Wellington, one of Britain's greatest soldiers and statesmen, The Grand Organ which is one of the Cathedral's greatest artefacts, and the South Transept - a monument to Britain's naval hero Horatio Nelson.

See the second largest cathedral dome in world, weighing 65,000 tons, and standing 111 metres high, a prominent feature of the London skyline. 

Visit Europe's largest crypt, the resting place of some of Britain's most historical figures including Nelson, Wellington and Sir Christoper Wren, the architect of St Paul's. 

Seven chapels are located inside St Paul's, including the All Souls' Chapel, a memorial to Lord Kitchener a famous Field Marshal from WW1, and The American Memorial Chapel, an area destroyed during the Blitz and restored to commemorate the 28,000 Americans stationed in the UK during WW2.

EXHIBITION: Christopher Wren: The Quest for Knowledge
2023 marked the 300th anniversary of the death of Sir Christopher Wren, a visionary and architect of St Paul's Cathedral. Join us at St Paul’s to discover more about his life and work, and how he created his masterpiece.

Sir Christopher Wren: The Quest for Knowledge is a new special exhibition at St Paul’s Cathedral that explores the life and work of Christopher Wren through archive material and personal artefacts. The exhibition investigates the genius of Wren and his ever-enquiring mind, highlighting his achievements in the fields of science and architecture and culminating in his greatest masterpiece, St Paul’s Cathedral.

This exhibition is located in the Crypt and is included for all sightseeing ticketholders.



Usual Opening Hours
The Cathedral usually opens for sightseeing Monday to Saturday at 08.30. (10.00 on Wednesday).
Last admission to the Cathedral is at 16.00. Once inside the Cathedral, access to the Dome Galleries is from 09.30 to 16.15 (10.00 to 16.15 on Wednesdays).
The Cathedral closes for sightseeing at 16.30.
The shop closes at 16.30.
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Within the Dome, the Whispering, Stone and Golden Galleries are open. Entry to the Golden Gallery is subject to availability due to capacity management at busy times and there may be time restrictions in place.
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The café is open in the Crypt Monday – Saturday.

St Paul’s Cathedral opening hour variations and closures
December 2025 - May 2026

Wed 3rd December Last entry for sightseeing 15.15
Tue 9th December Last entry for sightseeing 15.00
Fri 12th December Last entry for sightseeing 15.30
Sat 13th December Last entry for sightseeing 14.45
Sat 20th December Cathedral opens for sightseeing 13.00
Mon 22nd December Last entry for sightseeing 15.30
Tue 23rd December Last entry for sightseeing 13.15
Wed 24th December Last entry for sightseeing 13.15
Thu 25th December Christmas Day. Open for prayer and worship only. No sightseeing.
Fri 26th December Cathedral opens for sightseeing 09.00
Thu 1st January Cathedral opens for sightseeing 09.00
Sat 17th January Last entry for sightseeing 13.00
Mon 19th January Cathedral closed for sightseeing
Tue 20th January Cathedral closed for sightseeing
Wed 28th January Cathedral opens for sightseeing 13.00
Thu 12th February 2026 Last entry for sightseeing 11.00
Wed 18th February 2026 Ash Wednesday. Cathedral open for prayer and worship only. No sightseeing
Fri 20th March Cathedral Floor closed all morning expected to re-open at 13.00
Wed 25th March Last entry for sightseeing 15.15
Thu 2nd April Cathedral floor closed all morning expected to re-open at 12.45pm
Fri 3rd April Good Friday. Cathedral open for prayer and worship only. No sightseeing.
Sat 4th April Last entry for sightseeing 15.00
Tue 12th May Last entry for sightseeing 14.30
Sat 16th May Last entry for sightseeing 15.00
Tue 19th May Cathedral floor closed all morning, expected to re-open at 13.00.



IMAGES © Chapter, St Paul’s Cathedral