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St. Paul's Cathedral Timeline
(604 AD - Present)St. Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, and the seat of the Bishop of London. The current building, designed by Sir Christopher Wren in the English Baroque style, was completed in 1710 after the previous medieval Gothic cathedral was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. It stands as one of the most iconic landmarks of the London skyline. More Less
Early Cathedrals
First Saxon cathedral founded on Ludgate Hill
604
Mellitus, a missionary sent by Pope Gregory the Great, established the first cathedral dedicated to St Paul on Ludgate Hill in London, beginning the site's long religious history.
Image source: St Paul's Cathedral
Cathedral destroyed by fire
675
The original wooden Saxon cathedral was burned down in 675 and was subsequently rebuilt by Erkenwald, Bishop of London, who became one of the church's most venerated figures.
Old St Paul's construction begins after Norman destruction
1087
After the previous cathedral was destroyed in the great fire of 1087, work began on a grand new Norman cathedral that would become known as Old St Paul's, taking centuries to complete.
Image source: Old St Paul's Cathedral
Old St Paul's completed with its towering spire
1310
Old St Paul's was finally completed around 1310, featuring one of the tallest spires in Europe at nearly 150 meters, making it a dominant landmark over medieval London.
Spire struck by lightning and destroyed
1561
Lightning struck the cathedral's spire in June 1561, destroying the iconic steeple which was never properly restored, leaving the roof vulnerable to later decay.
John Donne appointed Dean of St Paul's
1621
The celebrated poet John Donne was installed as Dean of St Paul's Cathedral in 1621, becoming famous for his sermons and serving until his death in 1631; his statue survives in the present building.
Image source: John Donne
Inigo Jones begins restoration work on the cathedral
1630
Architect Inigo Jones undertook extensive repairs to the decaying Old St Paul's, adding a classical west portico in one of England's earliest examples of Renaissance architecture.
Image source: Inigo Jones
Great Fire of London destroys Old St Paul's
Sep 2, 1666 - Sep 5, 1666
The Great Fire of London swept through the city and engulfed Old St Paul's, reducing the medieval cathedral to a ruined shell and creating the opportunity for an entirely new design.
Image source: Great Fire of London
Construction of Wren's Cathedral
Christopher Wren commissioned to rebuild the cathedral
1668
Following earlier repair proposals, Christopher Wren received a royal warrant to design and build an entirely new cathedral, embarking on the greatest architectural project of his career.
Image source: Christopher Wren
Royal warrant approves Wren's revised design
1675
King Charles II approved Wren's revised 'Warrant Design', though Wren continued to modify the plans during construction, notably evolving the dome from a simple drum to a triple-shelled masterpiece.
Key Facts
- A church dedicated to St. Paul has stood on the site since 604 AD, founded by Mellitus, Bishop of London.
- The medieval Old St. Paul's Cathedral was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666.
- The present cathedral was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and officially declared complete in 1710.
- St. Paul's dome is one of the largest in the world, reaching a height of about 111 meters (365 feet).
- Famous events held at St. Paul's include the funeral of Sir Winston Churchill (1965), the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer (1981), and Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond and Platinum Jubilee services.
Source
This St. Paul's Cathedral timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.
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