London: Wren’s Churches

Destination: London, England

Travel guidebook summary

The city ravaged by the Great Fire of 1666, Christopher Wren was tasked with rebuilding the city’s cultural nexus, St Paul’s and 51 city churches. We invite travelers to explore Wren’s legacy with our latest travel guide.

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Message from the author

“Even today, surrounded by massive skyscrapers and grueling traffic, Wren’s churches exert a profound influence on the City of London. With this guidebook, we chose to focus on the absolute standouts, homing in the elements that defined the architect’s style. In doing so, I think it succeeds in tapping into part of London’s magic.”

Jennifer Raezer | Founder & Author, Approach Guides

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Guidebook Description

The Great Fire of 1666 ravaged the old city of London, destroying all that was in its path, including St Paul’s cathedral and 87 parish churches. At the age of 37, the multi-talented Christopher Wren was appointed as Surveyor-General of the King’s Works and tasked with rebuilding what had been lost. It was a project that consumed him for the rest of his life. The fruits of Wren’s labors are on full view today, marvels of art and architecture wedged among the modern city. They are yours to discover.

What’s in this guidebook

Art and architecture review. We provide background on Christopher Wren and his design aesthetic, isolating trademark features that you will see again and again while touring. To make things come alive, we have packed our review with high-resolution images.
Tour of the highlights. Following our tradition of being the most valuable resource for culture-focused travelers, we offer a tour of Wren’s top London churches (itinerary below). For each, we reveal its most important architectural and decorative features and offer a discussion that ties it all together.
Advice for getting the best cultural experience. To help you plan your visit, this guidebook supplies logistical advice, maps and links to online resources. Plus, we give our personal tips for getting the most from your experience while on location.
Information the way you like it. As with all of our guides, this book is optimized for intuitive, quick navigation; information is organized into bullet points to make absorption easy; and images are marked up with text that explains important features.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Watch Before You Go
SETTING THE STAGE

The Great Fire
Meet the King’s Architect
Wren’s Auditory Churches
What To Look For

TOUR MAP AND ITINERARY

St Paul’s Cathedral *
Background
Layout
A Renaissance Design
Exterior
The Dome
Artistic Highlights
Visiting the Dome Galleries and Crypt

St Martin Ludgate
Layout
Exterior
Interior

St Bride *

Layout
Exterior
Interior

St Mary Aldermary *

Layout
Exterior
Interior

St Mary Le Bow

Layout
Exterior
Interior

St Margaret Lothbury *

Layout
Exterior
Interior

St Stephen Walbrook *

Layout
Exterior
Interior

St Mary Abchurch

Layout
Exterior
Interior

St Magnus the Martyr *

Layout
Exterior
Interior

St Margaret Pattens

Layout
Exterior
Interior

Churchyard Gardens
Support London’s Churches
Continuing Travel in Europe

Our Recommendations

Where to Stay and Eat
Packing List

About Approach Guides

Customer Reviews

Additional Info

Extras to enhance your trip

Video

Watch our video on Wren’s Churches

London: Wren’s Churches

Travel guidebook summary

Message from the author

Guidebook screenshots

Guidebook details

What’s in this guidebook

Extras to enhance your trip

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