Saint Paul's Cathedral

The modern high altar of St. Paul's replaces an earlier design damaged in the air raids on London during the World War II. With the tremendous feat of rebuilding St. Paul's, new industries were founded to supply the huge requirements for the building. Masons, ironworkers, carvers, gilders-all were assembled to work under the watchful eye of Christopher Wren. Each detail of the building is considered and beautifully made. Great craftsmen, among them Jean Tijou (ironworker) and Grimling Gibbons (woodcarver) worked here. As with any great project, there were problems. In 1697, the House of Commons withheld a portion of Wren's salary in an effort to hurry the completion of the building. Toward the end, the commissioners ordered the placing of balustrades around the building-this against Wren's wishes- and he was dismissed. Yet during this period of construction at St. Paul's, Wren was busy on other work at Oxford, Cambridge, Greenwich and London. When he died in 1723, he was buried within his great church under a simple stone bearing a short inscription: "If you seek his Monument, look about."