London Collection: St Pauls by Jayne Abbott,

Built on a site that was originally that of a Roman Temple to Diana, Cathedrals dedicated to St. Paul have overlooked the city since 604 A.D. This is the fourth such Cathedral and replaces the earlier St. Paul's which was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. The last stone was laid on the 20th of October, 1708, Sir Christopher's 76th Birthday. It is a magnificent Baroque structure, built in Portland stone between 1675 and 1710, and crowned with a huge dome which rises 352 feet (108.4m) from the Cathedral floor. The Dome incorporates three circular galleries, the best-known of which is the internal Whispering Gallery, while externally there are the Stone Gallery and the Golden Gallery.

Very many events of great national and historical importance have taken place here and the Cathedral was heralded as an inspiration to the Nation during the Second World War. There is a well-known photograph of the Cathedral silhouetted against London ablaze with fire during the Blitz. It was saved not only by the major external firefighting services, but also by the dedicated efforts of its own firefighting team. St. Paul's is an Anglican Cathedral and is the seat of the Bishop of London.