Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the crypt, directly beneath the dome. Nearby is the granite tomb of the Duke of Wellington
(who finished Napoleon off). The flags near the tomb were carried at his funeral proces-
sion.
St. Paul's, the Blitz, and the Battle of Britain
Nazi planes mercilessly firebombed London in 1940. Even though The City around
it burned to the ground, St. Paul's survived, giving hope to the citizens. The church
took two direct hits, crumbling the altar and collapsing the north transept. On
December 29, 1940, some 28 bombs fell on the church. The surrounding neighbor-
hood was absolutely flattened, while the church rose above it, nearly intact. Some
swear that many bombs bounced miraculously off Wren's dome, while others credit
the heroic work of local firefighters. (There's a memorial chapel to the firefighters
who kept watch over St. Paul's with hoses cocked.) Still, it's clear from the damage
that St. Paul's was not fully Blitz-proof.
