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Explore the Cathedral floor with our Virtual Tour

The Nave

The first breathtaking view that visitors encounter when they enter the Cathedral is from the Nave, which is the long central section of the Cathedral that leads to the Dome. This is a public and ceremonial space, designed for congregations at large services. The Great West Door is nine metres high and is now used only on ceremonial occasions. There are three chapels at this end of the Cathedral - All Souls' and St Dunstan's in the north aisle and the Chapel of the Order of St Michael and St George in the south aisle.

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The North Aisle

The North Aisle is located to the left of the Great West Door entrance. This area houses include The Chapel of All Souls, The Chapel of St Dunstan and Wellington's monument.

The Chapel of All Souls
Situated on the ground floor of the north-west tower, this chapel was dedicated in 1925 to the memory of Field Marshal Lord Kitchener (1850-1916) and the servicemen who died in the Great War of 1914-18 (World War I). It is also known as the Kitchener Memorial Chapel. Among the chapel's artefacts are sculptures of the military saints St Michael and St George, a beautiful pietà - a sculpture of the Virgin Mary holding the body of Christ - and an effigy of Lord Kitchener. The silver-plated candlesticks on the altar are made from melted-down trophies won by the London Rifle Brigade.

The Chapel of St Dunstan
This chapel, consecrated in 1699, was the second part of Wren's building to come into use, after the Quire. In 1905, it was dedicated to St Dunstan, who was a Bishop of London and Archbishop of Canterbury 1,000 years ago. Before this it was known as the Morning Chapel, because the early morning office - a daily service - was said here.

Wellington's monument
A monument to one of Britain's greatest soldiers and statesmen, the Duke of Wellington, is on the north aisle. Wellington died in 1852 but his monument was not completed until 1912, when the figure on horseback was unveiled.

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The South Aisle

The Chapel of St Michael and St George is situated on the south aisle. The chapel was originally the consistory court - the place where the bishop sat in judgement over the clergy, or priests. It became a temporary studio for the construction of Wellington's monument between 1858 and 1878.

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The North Transept

The short, central arms of the Cathedral's ground-plan are called transepts. William Holman Hunt's painting The Light of the World dominates the north transept. It dates from around 1900 and is the third version that Hunt painted. The figure of Christ knocking on a door that opens from inside suggests that God can only enter our lives if we invite Him in. Regular services are held here in the Middlesex Chapel. The flags are the colour of the Middlesex Regiment - the empty pole belongs to a flag that was lost during World War II. The urn-like Italian marble font dates from 1727.

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The South Transept

Admiral Nelson's monument shows Britain's greatest naval hero - who died at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 - leaning on an anchor. His monument features a handsome lion, a symbol that means the person commemorated died in battle. Other memorials commemorate the landscape painter JMW Turner and the explorer Captain Robert Scott, who died returning from the South Pole in 1912. There are three death's heads over the entrance to the crypt, where the dead are laid to rest.

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The Quire

The Quire is at the east of the Cathedral's cross-shape. This is where the choir and clergy - the priests - normally sit during services. The Quire was the first part of the Cathedral to be built and consecrated. The choir stalls on both sides of the chancel feature delicate carvings by Grinling Gibbons, whose work is seen in many royal palaces and great houses. The Bishop's throne, or cathedra, is on the south side. A cathedral takes its name from the Bishop's chair.

The Organ
The organ was installed in 1695 and has been rebuilt several times. Its case by Grinling Gibbons, is one of the Cathedral's greatest artefacts. The third largest organ in the UK, it has 7,189 pipes, five keyboards and 138 organ stops. Read more about the organ here.

The High Altar
Originally, the Cathedral had a simple table for an altar. The present high altar dates from 1958 and is made of marble and carved and gilded oak. It features a magnificent canopy based on a sketch by Wren. It replaces a large Victorian marble altar and screen, which were damaged by a bomb in World War II.

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North Quire Aisle

The wrought-iron gates in the North Quire Aisle were designed by the French master metalworker Jean Tijou, who was responsible for most of the decorative metalwork in the Cathedral. It also contains the sculpture Mother and Child (left) by Henry Moore who is commemorated in the crypt. The memorial to modern martyrs honours Anglicans who have died for their faith since 1850.

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South Quire Aisle

This aisle contains a statue of the Virgin and Child, which was once part of the Victorian altar screen, and the effigies of two Bishops of London. There is also a marble effigy of John Donne - a Dean of the Cathedral and one of Britain's finest poets, who died in 1631. It is one of the few effigies to have survived the Great Fire of London - scorch marks can be seen on its base.

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The Apse

At the east end of the Cathedral, behind the High Altar, is the American Memorial Chapel. It honours American servicemen and women who died in World War II, and was dedicated in 1958. The roll of honour contains the names of more than 28,000 Americans who gave their lives while on their way to, or stationed in, the United Kingdom during World War II. It is kept in front of the chapel's altar. The three chapel windows date from 1960. They feature themes of service and sacrifice, while the insignia around the edges represent the American states and the US armed forces. The limewood panelling incorporates a rocket - a tribute to America's achievements in space. Read more about the American Memorial Chapel here

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