St Paul's Cathedral

Overview

Discover the nave - a long central aisle on the cathedral floor which provides a breathtaking 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.



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 restaurant is closed. Coffee cart café is open in the Crypt Monday – Saturday.

Known exceptions to the above opening hours are as follows December 2024 - May 2025
Wed 4th December Last entry for sightseeing 15.15
Thu 12th December Last entry for sightseeing 15.15
Sat 14th December Last entry for sightseeing 14.45
Wed 18th December Last entry for sightseeing 15.30
Sat 21st December Cathedral opens for sightseeing 13.00
Mon 23rd December Last entry for sightseeing 13.15
Tue 24th December Last entry for sightseeing 13.15
Wed 25th December Christmas Day. Open for prayer and worship only. No sightseeing
Thu 26th December Cathedral opens for sightseeing 09.00
Mon 13th January Cathedral closed. No sightseeing
Tue 14th January Cathedral closed. No sightseeing
Wed 15th January Cathedral closed. No sightseeing
Thu 30th January Last entry for sightseeing 11.00
February No planned closures at present
Wed 5th March Ash Wednesday. Cathedral open for prayer and worship only. No sightseeing.
Fri 21st March Cathedral opens for sightseeing 13.00
Fri 28th March Cathedral opens for sightseeing 13.00
Wed 2nd April Last entry for sightseeing 15.15.
Thu 17th April Cathedral opens for sightseeing 12.45.
Fri 18th April Good Friday. Cathedral open for prayer and worship only. No sightseeing.
Sat 19th April Last entry for sightseeing 15.00.
Thu 8th May Cathedral opens for sightseeing 13.30.
Tue 13th May Last entry for sightseeing 14.30.
Wed 28th May Last entry for sightseeing 15.30.




IMAGES © Chapter, St Paul’s Cathedral