Comparison Blog: Tower of London & St. Paul’s Cathedral

08Jul09

Both field trips today were really incredible. These were both places that were on my list of must-see things in London and so I was pretty excited to go.

My first impression at the Tower of London was how “untowerish” it actually was. Compared to all the buildings around it, it seemed very short and unimpressive. I was amazed that a place like this would be where the crown jewels were held. I did love the tour though, and the guide was very entertaining and informative. I also was very intrigued that Sir Isaac Newton had lived there and that Guy Fawkes had caused trouble and been killed there.

St. Paul’s was probably the most beautiful church I have ever been in. Of course I was impressed with Westminster, but I think that I will have to choose St. Paul’s as my favorite. I loved how open and uncluttered it was and I really liked that the large majority of the graves were in the basement and out of the area of worship. This to me was more representative of how a church should be set up without the distractions of numerous extravagant grave markers like in Westminster.

The first similarity I noticed about these two places was that they each had clearly defined areas to separate the nobility from the commoners. At the Tower of London the Queen and other nobility had their house, that was of course the largest and grandest of the abodes. The Yeoman had their place and the commoners theirs. The nobility did not walk around the outer streets in the tower to get in, but was instead carried into the Tower by a boat in the moat. Only nobility were buried within the church. All these things must have been a constant reminder to the commoners that they were beneath and less than.

It is the same within St. Paul’s Cathedral. There are designated areas in the church where the commoners can commune and worship and there are separate, usually elevated and loftier areas, that are for the priests and nobility. The extravagant graves and memorials in the church are almost always strictly for those who held positions of power and wealth. This also sends a message. Are only the people with the money and power good enough to be buried within the church, the place considered “closest” to God? This would almost make it seem to a commoner that there must be greater and grander places in Heaven for those who had the money, power, and status on earth, which is not what the Bible teaches.

The second comparison I noticed between the two places is that they are both towers in some form. They were both built to stretch towards the Heavens and the sky. This is to accentuate power, being ”closer” to God, and control. At one time, a person could stand at the top of either of these two places and look over the town beneath. This serves to exemplify to the townspeople that they are being watched. This could be seen as security because they could be watching over to make sure that you are safe. But this can also be seen as a way for the nobility to show that they are in control. They can watch you to make sure you are doing what they want and that your actions are in line with what they say is right.

Below are some pictures I took at each of the field trips. The first is of the outer walls of the Tower of London and I think it is easy to see that this place was pretty grand at one time. The second two are of the outside of St. Paul’s since we weren’t allowed to take pictures inside. Both exemplify the greatness of the church. It definitely makes a statement.