On a beautiful spring morning I decided to go to St Paul’s Cathedral.
Perhaps slightly overdressed in my LBD, but I was meant to go on a date. However, there’s been this pattern I’ve seen lately with dates – especially the ones I’m very excited about – that they just ghost me around 24 hours before the date.
They stop messaging me (despite being a very eager texter beforehand). And when I ask them a bit closer to the date if we’re still up for the weekend, they just leave me on read or don’t even read the message at all. I mean, if you’re not interested, why go through all the trouble of planning a date in the first place?
Anyway, determined not to let this ruin my day, and my friends all having other plans already, I booked myself into a photography class. This is not just a good thing for me – because I had a lot of fun – but also for you, because the pictures on my blog look so much better!
Exterior
What makes St Paul’s such a great and unique place to practice your photography is its location. It’s bang in the middle of the City of London, surrounded by skyscrapers and modern buildings. Which creates a beautiful unique blend between the old and new which is just lovely for playing around with angles and reflections.
The cathedral itself was designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1675. Earlier there was a medieval cathedral, but the whole thing burnt down in the great fire of London in 1666. So it was rebuilt in the modern more baroque style of the time.
It’s now such a beautiful landmark, it’s impossible to imagine the London skyline without it.
You can also enter the church, and even climb all the way to the top. Which I am ashamed to admit in all my 7 years in London I had never done before.
So I thought it time to change that.
So after my class and possibly shooting the cathedral from every angle, I thought it time to explore the views from the inside.
But first I had to fuel up!
Blank Street Coffee, Cheeapside
Blank street coffee is the perfect place for this.
Located right on Cheapside it’s very popular with office workers in the City.
Like any other cafe, they serve a variety of pastries and hot drinks. Which are just perfect for a great speedy breakfast to go before a long day in the office.
But to fuel up for a long strenuous session of stair climbing, it’s also perfect.
The blueberry matcha is an absolute recommendation! It has such a unique combination of flavours I have never tasted anywhere before in my life.
But after these delicious treats it was definitely time to go inside the Cathedral.
Interior
The interior was pretty much what I expected. Long naves, arches, chandeliers and paintings of saints.
But what I was most interested in was the dome. Move to the side nave a little bit and this gives you access to the staircases, allowing you to climb all the way towards the dome.
After climbing 257 steps, you’ll arrive at the Whispering Gallery, which is 30 metres above the Cathedral floor. The gallery is named so because of its unique acoustics. It is said that if you whisper, it can be heard all the way from the other side of the circular gallery.
Might be something fun to try with your friend. Also the views over the cathedral floor are just beautiful from up here.
The dome
But we’re not there yet! If you climb a further 119 steps, you’ll end up at the stone gallery. This is the circular round balcony around the dome.
The enormous stone ballustrade is exactly what gives this gallery its name.
It’s a bit windy up here!
But located at 53 metres above the cathedral floor, it comes with beautiful panoramic views over London.
I’ve never seen the Millenium Bridge from that angle before! So unique!
But if you don’t have vertigo, you can go even higher!
A further 152 steps will take you all the way to the top of the dome! 85 metres above the cathedral floor. It’s even more windy up here, but the views are even better.
I could just stay up here all day, just sunbathing.
But hey it was a Saturday afternoon after all, so what’s stopping you!
Well do make sure you are back down before 4:30 PM, which is usually when they close down for private prayers. And keep in mind you just climbed 528 steps, so you need to go back down too!
I guess that’s your workout for the day!
St Paul’s Cathedral is open for visitors from 8:30 until 4:30 Monday – Saturday. Or you can also attend free services at 7:30, 8:00, 12:30 or 5:00 PM from Monday- Saturday and on Sundays at 8:00, 8:45, 10:00, 11:15, 3:00 PM and 5:30 PM.