The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-03-16
ST. PAUL's I'M LONDON.
Third Largest Church In Christian.
dom. Site I3 Centuries Old.

dom, Site 10 Centuries Old.
In the very heart of the city, con.
spicuously situated on a slight emf.
nence stands London's most promi.
nent building, the beautiful st. Paurs
Cathedral. For nearly 1900 years a
church has occupied this site, Ethel
bert having founded one there as ear
ly as 610. For Az years this origni-
nal church remained standing, or un-
til it was destroyed by fire in 1887.
A new edifice then was commenced
In the Norman style. 1t occupied 40
years in building, and, according to
William of Malmesbury, could con-
tain the utmost conceivable multitude
of worshipers." But what with addi.
tions of various kinds, the cathedral
was not declared completed until 1915.
The height of the steeple then was
$40 feet, and the total length of the
church was 720 feet. a great many feet
longer than the longest church now in
England. At that time the spre was
of timber covered with lead and was
eight feet higher than the world-re-
nowned cathedral of Cologne, the lar
gest specimen of gothic architecture
in the world. In 1861 this spire was
struck by lightning and was destroyed.
and in the fire that ensued the church
was damaged, and remained in a d.
lapidated condition until the reign of
Charles |.
The work of restoration under the
great architect, lingo Jones. had not
been completed when the structure
= To-, 80
1906. Before this the famous st.
Paul's cross had been removed where
great religious disputations were held
and papal bulls promulgated Here
the bull of the pope against Martin
Luther was read in the presence of
Cardinal Wolsey.
The present st. Paul's was erected
In the years between 1851 from the
designs of Sir Christopher Wren. II
Is in the form of Latin cross and re.
sembles st. Peters at Rome, though
much smaller. II cost what would
be computed in our money to-day as
nearly $3,740, 900, but which represent
ed a far greater purchasing power in
those times. 1t is 500 feet long and
its breadth at the transepts is 250 feet.
~ 10 ehC 'hiiu idi SSot SHuiSh ia SHilo
tendon, being exceeded in size only
by St. Peters at Rome and the cathe.
dral of Milan.
The dome, which separates the two
transepts and the nave and the choir,
rises to height of 365 feet, and is
of wood covered with lead. 1t sup.
ports lantern, on top of which is
ball surmounted by a cross, the ball
and cross weighing $500 pounds, and
bringing the extreme height of the
structure to 404 feet. The ball is six
feet in diameter and can hold from 10
to IL persons.
The principal front to the west con-
sists OF double portico of corinthian
pillars, flanked by campanile towers
120 feet high In front of the west
facade stands statue of Queen Anne,
with England, Ireland, France and
America at her feet. In the campanile
tower is the largest bell in England
Wren received G20O a year while
working on st. Paul's, but his de-
signs for the decoration of the vast
interior were never carried out The
expense was paid by tax on coal
st. Paul's is famous for its numer-
GUS monuments, where also are the
tombs of Sir Joshua Reynolds, Lord
Nelson, DR.. Samuel Johnson, the Duke
Of Wellington, the painter Turner, and
other distinguished men.