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St. Paul’s a Beacon of Spirituality

St. Paul’s cathedral has overlooked the London Skyline since 604 AD a constant reminder of spirituality in a modern business oriented cosmopolitan city. An Anglican cathedral located on Ludgate Hill and is the seat of the Bishop of London. Though the present cathedral that stands here now as probably constructed in the 17th century historical references indicate that a Saxon church had been in existence since the 6th century, the present structure being the fifth one to be constructed on the site.

The cathedral is constructed of Portland stone and styled in the late Renaissance architectural style in English terms it could also be referred to as a more sober version of traditional Baroque architecture. The notable dome that rises more than 100 meters is said have been inspired by St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Designed by the famed British architect of yore- Christopher Wren, the cathedral features a total of three domes.

The cathedrals’ substantial crypt is said to be a treasure trove of historic artifacts. Holding over 200 memorials, the crypt is definitely the place to visit for tourists, however a number of St. Paul’s treasures have been stolen most notably in the great robbery that took place in 1810. Today the tombs of many famous people, numbering over 200 can be seen at the crypt of the cathedral. The first to be buried here was the architect of the cathedra Christopher Wren; people such as Duke of Wellington, Lord Nelson, Henry Moore, Winston Churchill and Florence Nightingale have been buried here in recognition of their exceptional achievements.

The apse of the cathedral houses the American Memorial chapel that was erected in remembrance of the US servicemen that sacrificed their lives in the Second World War. Built with donation from the British public it displays the names American soldiers that died while stationed in Britain, the limewood paneling depicts a rocket in recognition of the USA’s space forays.

When visiting this popular London landmark tourists can opt to stay at one of the numerous London hotels that are located in the area. A hotel in London may range from a lodge to a five star hotel, thus offering a wide array of accommodation options to tourists.

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Supul Banagala is an Online Marketing Executive at eMarketingEye which is a search engine marketing agency
that offers integrated Internet marketing solutions and specializes in serving the online travel and hospitality industry.
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Naveen Marasinghe is an Online Marketing Executive at eMarketingEye which is a search engine marketing company that offers integrated Internet marketing services and specializes in serving the online travel and hospitality industry. (http://www.emarketingeye.com/ )
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