St Paul's Cathedral

St Paul's Cathedral is Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece, built between 1675 and 1710 to replace the medieval cathedral destroyed in the Great Fire of London. Its vast lead-covered dome, one of the largest in the world, dominates the City skyline, and the interior contains the celebrated Whispering Gallery and a wealth of monuments and mosaics. The crypt — among the largest in Europe — holds the tombs of national figures including Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington, as well as Wren himself, whose epitaph invites visitors to look around them for his monument.

With centuries of history, the cathedral has attracted ghostly tradition, much of it centred on the crypt and chapels. The best-known tale describes an elderly clergyman, sometimes called 'the whistling monk', said to appear near the chapel of the Order of the British Empire before fading into the wall. Visitors and staff occasionally report cold spots or a sense of presence in the quieter lower spaces, though these experiences are personal and unverified.

Stripped of embellishment, St Paul's is compelling for its architecture, its role in national life and its survival through the Blitz. The ghost stories are a minor thread of folklore against a building whose documented history speaks powerfully for itself.

St Paul's Cathedral is a working Anglican cathedral governed by its Dean and Chapter. Sightseeing visits, which include the crypt, the cathedral floor and the dome galleries, require a paid admission ticket, while those attending regular services enter free of charge; opening hours are limited on Sundays and around major services and events.

As an active place of worship and a working memorial site, visitors to the crypt and the wider cathedral are asked to be quiet and respectful, to observe photography rules and to follow the guidance of vergers and stewards during their visit.