St Paul's Cathedral
The construction of St Paul's occurred to replace the ruins that the Great Fire of London had left behind. Prior to the fire a designer named Christopher Wren had become interested in the building due to the instability of the cross's foundations. He had proposed a larger plan covered by a dome to support the cross. During 1673 Wren created the 'great model' to which authorities dismissed on the basis that is wasn't 'cathedral fashion' and that he should include a long nave as seen in St Peters. When the royal warrant finally was issued Wren's original 'play of curves' (N.Parkyn, 2012) was replaced by a plane, amateurish structure; longitudinal plan with a 4 storey combination of dome and tower. This idea was changed to just a dome shortly after he received the warrant.
The plan consists of conventional elements; an aisled nave, aisled transept and aisled chancel. The dome was constructed to be supported by 8 piers, a change to the original 4 by demolishing the end bay of the aisles in all four corners. The 8 arches where envisaged to be equal but the diagonal piers ended up being narrower due to adequate strengthening of the main piers. In order to disguise these discrepancies Wren included balconies and Lunettes in the diagonals which match the main openings.
Initially the piers where built of rubble from the old St Paul's but concerns where raised about their stability causing the cores to be replaced by layers of solid masonry. To ensure the safety of the dome and prevent the base from spreading iron chain/girdle where installed.
In order to rise the level of the cross a brick cone was placed on top the dome invisible from both in and outside. The cone also provides support for the heavy cupola. The building receives its light from high windows as seen in medieval cathedrals. An ionic order for the portico for West front was not viable due to restrictions with the length of stone available.
The two towers (far right of the picture above) are parallel with other features of the building; one being the transept ends influenced by Italian Baroque.
Throughout the construction period of St Paul's many specialised workers where employed to create England's greatest Baroque building.
St Pauls in currently a fully functional church providing daily services and prayer.
The plan consists of conventional elements; an aisled nave, aisled transept and aisled chancel. The dome was constructed to be supported by 8 piers, a change to the original 4 by demolishing the end bay of the aisles in all four corners. The 8 arches where envisaged to be equal but the diagonal piers ended up being narrower due to adequate strengthening of the main piers. In order to disguise these discrepancies Wren included balconies and Lunettes in the diagonals which match the main openings.
Initially the piers where built of rubble from the old St Paul's but concerns where raised about their stability causing the cores to be replaced by layers of solid masonry. To ensure the safety of the dome and prevent the base from spreading iron chain/girdle where installed.
In order to rise the level of the cross a brick cone was placed on top the dome invisible from both in and outside. The cone also provides support for the heavy cupola. The building receives its light from high windows as seen in medieval cathedrals. An ionic order for the portico for West front was not viable due to restrictions with the length of stone available.
The two towers (far right of the picture above) are parallel with other features of the building; one being the transept ends influenced by Italian Baroque.
Throughout the construction period of St Paul's many specialised workers where employed to create England's greatest Baroque building.
St Pauls in currently a fully functional church providing daily services and prayer.