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Which materials were used to build Christopher Wren’s St. Paul’s Cathedral?
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Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren, detail of an oil painting by Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1711; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
Christopher Wren’s St. Paul’s Cathedral was constructed primarily using stone sourced from the island of Portland, located off the southern coast of Dorset, England.1
In addition to this primary masonry, the cathedral’s complex structure incorporates several other materials:
- Brick: A concealed brick cone was utilized within the dome to provide essential structural support for the outer shell and the heavy lantern.1
- Lead: The outer dome is encased in lead.1
- Iron: The structure features ironwork, including the grillwork of the choir and the balustrade of the southwest tower, crafted by the ironworker Jean Tijou.1
- Wood: Various interior elements, such as the choir stalls, the organ case, and the bishop’s throne, were produced from wood by the sculptor and carver Grinling Gibbons.1