词条 | Saint Paul's Cathedral |
释义 | Saint Paul's Cathedral cathedral, London, United Kingdom in London, cathedral of the Anglican (Anglicanism) bishop. It is located within the central City of London (London, City of), atop Ludgate Hill and northeast of Blackfriars. A Roman temple to Diana may once have stood on the site, but the first Christian cathedral there was dedicated to St. Paul (Paul, the Apostle, Saint) in AD 604, during the rule of King Aethelberht I. That cathedral burned, and its replacement (built 675–685) was destroyed by Viking raiders in 962. In 1087 a third cathedral erected on the site also burned. The fourth cathedral, now known as Old St. Paul's, was constructed of Caen stone beginning in the late 11th century. It was one of the more massive buildings in the British Isles at that time, and its spire stood higher than the dome of the present cathedral. During the English Reformation (Protestantism) (16th century) the edifice fell into disrepair, and its nave was used as a marketplace. The spire was destroyed by lightning (and a resulting fire) in 1561 and never replaced. Major repairs were initiated in the 1630s by Inigo Jones (Jones, Inigo), who oversaw the removal of shops, the renovation of walls, and the building of a much-admired portico on the western side. During the English Civil Wars (1642–51), however, the structure was severely damaged by Cromwellian cavalry troops who used it as a barracks. In the 1660s Christopher Wren (Wren, Sir Christopher) was enlisted to survey and repair the cathedral, but it was destroyed in the Great Fire of London (1666) before work could begin. Wren subsequently designed and oversaw the construction of the present cathedral, which was built mainly of Portland stone. His plans were approved in 1675, and work was carried out until 1710. During the 19th century some decorative changes were made to the interior of the cathedral in an attempt to bring it in line with Victorian tastes. In 1941, during the Battle of Britain (Britain, Battle of), civil defense brigades protected the structure from fire, although it was hit directly by bombs; at one point an unexploded bomb was removed, at great risk, from the nave. Repairs were carried out following the war. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() To the north and south of the dome section are wide transepts, each with semicircular porticoes; to the east lie the choir and the Jesus Chapel, while the nave and the “front” entrance are to the west. Framing the western facade, twin bell towers rise nearly 213 feet (65 metres) above the floor. The southwest tower is known for the Geometrical Staircase (with its balustrade by Tijou), which leads to the cathedral library and archives. Accessible from the nave, the chapel of the Order of St. Michael and St. George adjoins the southwest tower, while St. Dunstan's Chapel adjoins the northwest tower. There are some 300 monuments within the cathedral. In the Apse to the east of the Chancel is the American Memorial Chapel (formerly the Jesus Chapel), which was dedicated in 1958 to U.S. soldiers killed in World War II. From the western facade to the eastern end of the Apse, St. Paul's measures nearly 515 feet (157 metres); including the western steps, the total length of the structure is 555 feet (170 metres). Many notable soldiers, artists, and intellectuals have been buried in the crypt, including Lord Nelson (Nelson, Horatio Nelson, Viscount), the duke of Wellington (Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, 1st duke of, marquess of Douro, marquess of Wellington, earl of Wellington, Viscount Wellington of Talavera and of Wellington, Baron Douro or Wellesley), and Wren himself, who was one of the first to be entombed there. Above his resting place is the epitaph composed by his son, ending with the oft-quoted sentence “Lector, si monumentum requiris, circumspice,” which may be translated “Reader, if you seek a monument, look about you.” For further accounts of the history and significance of St. Paul's Cathedral, see the 18th-century excerpts from the 2nd and 3rd editions of Encyclopædia Britannica. Additional Reading Overviews of the construction are given in Margaret Whinney, Christopher Wren (1971; also published as Wren, 1971, reprinted 1985), pp. 81–132, which includes numerous photographs; Banister Fletcher, Sir Banister Fletcher's A History of Architecture, 19th ed., edited by John Musgrove (1987, reprinted 1994), pp. 1028–1034, with useful schematics and measurements; Kerry Downes, Sir Christopher Wren (1987), cataloging 220 of Wren's architectural drawings; John Summerson, Architecture in Britain, 1530 to 1830, 9th ed. (1993), pp. 203–220; and the entries “Saint Paul's Cathedral” and “Saint Paul's Churchyard” in Ben Weinreb and Christopher Hibbert (eds.), The London Encyclopaedia, rev. ed. (1993). |
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