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.

NEW EXHIBITION: Saving St Paul's: The Watch and the Second World War (May-October 2025)
This year marks 80 years since the end of the Second World War. Amidst devastating destruction around the City, St Paul's remained standing, our iconic dome rising out of the surrounding rubble. The secret to our survival was not luck, as is commonly thought, but rather the bravery and dedication of a group called the St Paul's Watch, whose commitment to St Paul's saved the Cathedral from the fate of our neighbouring buildings.

This free outdoor exhibition honours the St Paul’s Watch and their heroic efforts to protect the Cathedral during the Blitz.

Come and visit the exhibition in the Cathedral Garden, open during regular visiting times, and discover the incredible stories of the Watch.



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. The café is open in the Crypt Monday – Saturday.

Known exceptions to the above opening hours are as follows June - November 2025

Tue 17th June Cathedral opens for sightseeing 13.00
Sat 21st June Last entry for sightseeing 11.30
Sat 28th June Last entry for sightseeing 11.30
Thu 3rd July Cathedral opens for sightseeing 14.00
Mon 7th July Cathedral opens for sightseeing 13.00
Fri 11th July Cathedral opens for sightseeing 11.00
Wed 30th July Cathedral opens for sightseeing 10.15
August No planned closures at present
Wed 3rd September Cathedral opens for sightseeing 10.15
Wed 8th October Last entry for sightseeing 12.00
Thu 9th October Last entry for sightseeing 14.30
Wed 29th October Cathedral opens for sightseeing 10.15.
Sat 1st November Last entry for sightseeing 14.30.
Sat 8th November Lord Mayor’s Show Day. Tickets not available
Thu 27th November Cathedral opens for sightseeing 13.00
Sat 29th November Last entry for sightseeing 15.15.




IMAGES © Chapter, St Paul’s Cathedral