Saxon beginnings
St. Paul's Cathedral has been a Christian site of worship since at least 604 AD., although the site had been occupied since Roman times. Mellitus, Bishop of the East Saxons was responsible for the first cathedral, which burnt down 70 years later. It was soon rebuilt, but then destroyed by VIkings around 975.
Construction began on the Norman cathedral, shown here, in the century after the conquest, but with additions over time, the building took nearly 200 years. Disaster struck yet again, and the spire was destroyed by lighting in 1561 and never restored.
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The old St. Paul's Cathedral |