Tickets Alert: Tours of St Paul’s Cathedral’s triforium

St Paul’s Cathedral has restarted tours of its triforium, the space high up above the nave that’s not normally open to the public.

The triforium is a huge hidden corridor that runs around the nave hidden high up above the heads of the worshipers below. No one is entirely sure why the space is called a Triforium, but in ancient times someone described a similar space in Canterbury with such a name, and it stuck.

For those cathedrals that are large enough to have one, it’s a valuable space, often used for storage, or getting around without using the main floor – and here in St Paul’s Cathedral, it’s also the route to two hidden marvels.

The tours last around an hour, and include access up and down the Geometric Staircase (as used in the Harry Potter films), the Trophy Room and to see the  Great Model, a large wooden model of what St Paul’s Cathedral nearly looked like.

You also get to walk along an open walkway right above the Great West Doors with a view right along the nave.

The triforium tours cost £8 on top of the standard entry charge.

Tips:

• If booking an adult ticket, make sure you tick the Gift Aid option (if you are eligible) as your ticket then becomes an annual pass for repeat visits later.
• Until 4th September, up to three children can receive free entry per Adult/Concession/Disabled Visitor/NHS Staff ticket ordered – so while you need to pay the £8 per child for the triforium tour, they get the rest of the Cathedral for free.
• It’s a little complicated to book the tours – go here to book your normal ticket (but select the date first – and only the 12pm timed entry ticket), then scroll down to add the triforium tour as well, again selecting the date first.

The tours take place on the following dates all at 12:30pm

• Fri 30th July 2021
• Mon 2nd August 2021
• Fri 6th August 2021
• Mon 9th August 2021
• Tue 10th August 2021
• Wed 11th August 2021
• Fri 13th August 2021
• Mon 16th August 2021
• Tue 17th August 2021
• Wed 18th August 2021

Please be aware that there are 88 steep steps to the Triforium level and no lift access available at present. Within the Triforium, the tour route includes several short flights of stairs (each no more than 10 steps).

Tours used to include the library, but it’s closed for refurbishments and they expect to be able to show the restored library without its books from November 2021, and with books present from April 2022.