St Paul's Cathedral Tickets

The Stone and Golden Galleries

Beyond the Whispering Gallery the climb continues into the open air. The Stone Gallery, 376 steps up, wraps around the base of the dome and opens out the first sweeping views across the City. A narrower spiral staircase then winds to the Golden Gallery at the very top, 528 steps from the cathedral floor and the highest public viewpoint in the building.

From here the panorama reaches over the Thames, the towers of the City and far across London. The galleries are reached on foot by staircase only, with no lift to the top.

The Crypt

Stretching the full length of the building, the Crypt is one of the largest in Europe and the resting place of some of Britain's most celebrated figures. Lord Nelson lies directly beneath the centre of the dome in a black sarcophagus, with the Duke of Wellington close by under a massive tomb. Sir Christopher Wren, who designed the cathedral, is buried here too, marked by a Latin epitaph that translates as “Reader, if you seek his monument, look around you.”

The surrounding chapels hold memorials to painters, scientists and military heroes, part of more than five hundred monuments in the cathedral.

Photo: “Cathedral Church of St Paul, Crypt, tomb of Nelson, City of London” by Tilman2007.

The Quire and high altar

The Quire, at the eastern end of the cathedral, glows with gilded ceiling mosaics added in the Victorian era by William Blake Richmond, their gold and colour glittering above the dark carved stalls. Grinling Gibbons carved the choir stalls and the great organ case, while Jean Tijou shaped the wrought-iron gates that screen the aisles.

Beyond them rises the high altar under its baldacchino, a carved canopy of oak and marble built after wartime damage, framing one of the most richly decorated spaces in the whole building.

The American Memorial Chapel

Located behind the high altar at the far eastern end of the cathedral, the American Memorial Chapel also carries the historical name of the Jesus Chapel. This space commemorates the United States service personnel based in Britain who died during the Second World War.

Built within a section destroyed by wartime bombing, the chapel opened in 1958. It houses a roll of honor that lists more than twenty-eight thousand names, where attendants turn one page each day. Carved limewood panels feature American plants and birds, while the stained-glass windows depict themes of sacrifice.

Photo: "Jesus Chapel of St Paul's Cathedral at the eastern side" by Diliff.

The Nave and the Light of the World

The great nave runs from the west doors towards the dome, lined with monuments to national figures and framed by the pale Portland stone Wren chose for the rebuilding. Among its treasures hangs "The Light of the World" by William Holman Hunt, the celebrated Pre-Raphaelite painting of Christ knocking at a long-overgrown door, which the artist made for the cathedral late in his life.

The towering Wellington Monument also stands in the nave, near the great west doors that open only on ceremonial occasions.

Photo: "View from the 9m high West Doors of the Cathedral" by JackPeasePhotography.

Closing days & special dates

As a working cathedral, St Paul's closes to sightseeing every Sunday, when the building is given over to worship and only the shop stays open. A separate Dome Sundays ticket opens the galleries on Sunday early afternoons during part of the year.

The cathedral can also close at short notice for special services, state occasions, concerts and major festivals such as Christmas, Holy Week and Easter, so checking the live calendar before travelling confirms a chosen date is open.

How to get

Visitors can reach St. Paul's Cathedral in central London using several public transportation options. The London Underground provides access via St. Paul's Station on the Central line, located 270 meters from the cathedral. Mansion House and Blackfriars stations also serve the area via the District and Circle lines.

For mainline rail travel, travelers can use City Thameslink or Blackfriars stations. Multiple bus routes, including numbers 4, 8, 15, 17, 26, and 76, stop near the cathedral yard. Alternatively, visitors can take the Uber Boat service to Blackfriars Pier, which requires a nine-minute walk to the entrance. Bicycle racks on surrounding streets provide parking for cyclists.

Entrances

The main visitor entrance is at the West Front, up the broad steps beneath the cathedral's twin towers, where bags are checked on arrival. Step-free access is available through the North Transept entrance on the north side, which has a ramp and leads straight onto the Cathedral Floor, making it the recommended way in for wheelchair users and anyone avoiding steps.

The three Dome Galleries, by contrast, are reached by staircase only, with no lift to the top.