d original design, and
exhibiting rare sagacity in their practical contrivance and
construction.

St. Paul's stands second only to St. Peter's as a great domical
cathedral of Renaissance architecture. It falls far short of its great
rival in actual size and internal effect, and is all but entirely
devoid of that decoration in which St. Peter's is so rich. On the
other hand, the exterior of St. Paul's (Fig. 82) is far finer, and as
the English cathedral had the good fortune to be erected entirely from
the plans and under the supervision of one architect, it is a building
consistent with itself throughout, which, as we have seen, is more
than can be said of St. Peter's.

The plan of St. Paul's is a Latin cross, with well marked transepts, a
large portico, and two towers at the western entrance; an apse of
small size forms the end of the eastern arm, and of each of the
transepts; a great dome covers the crossing; the cathedral has a crypt
raising the main floor considerably, and its side walls are carried
high above the aisle roofs so as to hide the clerestory windows from
sight.

The dome is very cleverly planted on eight piers instead of four at
the crossing, and is a triple structure; for between the dome seen
from within, and the much higher dome seen from without, a strong cone
of brickwork rises which bears the weight of the stone lantern and
ball and cross that surmount the whole. The skill with which the dome
is made the central feature of a pyramidal composition whatever be the
point of view, the great beauty of the circular colonnade immediately
below the dome, the elegant outline of the western towers, and the
unusual but successful distribution of the great portico, are among
the most noteworthy elements which go to make up the charm of this
very successful exterior.

[Illustration: FIG. 82.--ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL, LONDON. (1675-1710.)]

Wren may be said to have introduced to Renaissance architecture the
tower and spire, for though many examples occur in Spain, there is
reason to suppose that he was before the architects of that country in
his employment of that feature. He has enriched the City of London
with a large number of steeples, which are Gothic so far as their
general idea goes, but thoroughly classic in details, and all more or
less distinctive. The most famous of these is the one belonging to Bow
Church; others of note belong to St. Clement Danes and St. Bride,
Fleet Street.

The interiors