St Paul's Cathedral , Melbourne, Bezoekersgids & wat te doen in de buurt

St Paul's Cathedral is the Anglican cathedral of Melbourne, standing at 202 Flinders Street opposite Flinders Street Station. Its Gothic Revival design, its spires and its position on the city's busiest corner make it one of the best-known buildings in the central city.

The story behind it

The ground has a long religious history. In the 1830s it was a government reserve used as a corn market, and it is recorded as the setting for the first public Christian service in Melbourne in 1835. A bluestone parish church was consecrated here in 1852, and it was later cleared to make way for the cathedral. The foundation stone of the present building was laid in 1880.

The English architect William Butterfield designed the cathedral but resigned in 1884 after disputes with the church authorities. The local architect Joseph Reed completed the work, and the cathedral was consecrated on 22 January 1891, still without its spires. These were added decades later to a design by John Barr. Building began in 1926 and the central spire was finished in 1932, in sandstone brought from Sydney.

What to look for

• Look up at the three spires, which were added to the church long after the main building and are made of a different stone from the walls below.
• Notice the Gothic Revival lines of the main body, with steep roofs, pointed arches and heavy stonework that look striking against the glass towers behind.
• Stand on the Swanston Street corner for the classic view, with the cathedral set against passing trams and the busy crossing in front of Flinders Street Station.
• Listen for the bells, which were cast in Whitechapel, London, in 1889 and can carry across the intersection when they ring.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 20 to 30 minutes if you go inside, or a few minutes if you only want photographs from the street.
• Visitors are generally welcome inside outside of services, but check current opening hours and service times before you go.
• Soft morning light and the quieter hours of the day are good for photographs, when the crossing is less crowded.
• Flinders Street Station, Federation Square and the Young and Jackson Hotel are all within a short walk, so the cathedral fits easily into a wider stroll.

See it on a quest

Ghosts of Melbourne: Vampire Search is a spooky way to see the cathedral. You reach it on foot as one stop of a longer route through the city centre, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.

Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in East End, Melbourne takes you through the same part of town as a whodunnit. You walk from stop to stop, hear about each place as you get there and solve a puzzle in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group.

Ghost Hunt in Melbourne, AU is another self-guided walk that passes the cathedral. You start whenever you like, with no guide and no group to join, learn about each place on the route and solve a puzzle at each. One ticket covers the whole group.