528 steps...

Our class had been given a brief preview of St. Paul's Cathedral during a coach tour earlier on, but today was finally our opportunity to explore the church in-depth. I had been looking forward to our class visit for awhile, especially after hearing how wonderful the cathedral was from several of my flatmates.

I was definitely not disappointed. Although photography was not permitted inside the cathedral, that actually gave me a better opportunity to really focus on experiencing the cathedral itself, rather than being constantly focused on taking photos of it. It was interesting to compare it to Westminster Abbey, both in terms of architectural style and history.

I also had the opportunity to climb to the Golden Gallery atop St. Paul's outer dome, some 528 total steps up from the cathedral floor. The reward for the vertical journey is a spectacular, 360-degree view of central London. I could have easily lingered in the Golden Gallery, but due to the sheer number of people who were making the ascent, cathedral staff had to keep everyone moving. Nevertheless, I was able to take several photos from this lovely vantage point before having to make the long journey back down to the ground level.

A few of my classmates and I chose to remain at St. Paul's to attend Evensong, a prayer service held every Tuesday evening. It was a unique experience to attend an Anglican service, and to finally hear the amazing acoustics inside the cathedral, especially with the organ and boy's choir leading the congregation in prayer and song. It was a wonderful way to conclude an afternoon at St. Paul's!