\paperw3360 \margr0\margl0\ATXph11340 \plain \fs20 \f1 \fs22 What most strikes the visitor on entering St PaulÆs Cathedral is the luminous spaciousness of the interior, its clear
sense of order and balance. The cathedral authorities insisted on the nave, transepts and choir being arranged in the shape of a cross, as they were in medieval cathedrals. Yet the architect, Christopher Wren, managed to imbue his design with classical
vision despite the conservative floor plan. The overall impression is one of majesty and Baroque splendour: truly a worthy setting for the many great ceremonial events that have taken place here. These include the funeral of Winston Churchill in 1965 an
d the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981. Second in height only to that of St PeterÆs in Rome, the Dome of St PaulÆs is 110 metres high and is surmounted by a lantern that weighs a massive 850 tonnes. This mighty crown is also visi
ble from inside the building through the oculus, or circular opening, above the monochrome frescoes painted by Sir James Thornhill, the leading architectural painter of WrenÆs time. Below these paintings is a circular porticoed loggia called the Whisper
ing Gallery, whose unusual acoustics cause even the merest whisper to echo around the dome.\par
