St. Paul's restored to its former glory
June 22nd 2011 Workers taking part in a £40m cleaning and restoration project of St. Paul's Cathedral have been praised by the Cathedral's dean for helping to bring the landmark back to life.
The culmination of the cleaning project coincided with the tercentenary of St Paul’s Cathedral being declared complete by Parliament. A service was held to celebrate the 300th anniversary on 21 June.
Since the project of cleaning and repair commenced, the exterior and interior of the cathedral have been beautifully restored. The interior of the cathedral has been transformed by conservation techniques and the light that now floods the space highlights the Portland stone used in the cathedral’s construction and brings mosaics, carvings and sculpture to life.
The Right Reverend Graeme Knowles, Dean of St Paul’s said: "We are thrilled that in the year that we celebrate the 300th anniversary of Wren’s masterpiece, we can also mark the successful completion of this extraordinary restoration project. The two million worshippers, pilgrims and visitors who come to St Paul’s each year can now witness Wren’s original vision and see the cathedral as fresh as the day it was completed.”
Martin Stancliffe, Surveyor to the Fabric, who has overseen the restoration project, said: "It has been a privilege and an extraordinary experience to have led the team of professionals, craftsmen and conservators who have contributed so much to this transforming project. This great building is now in a sound state, and probably looks better than at any time since its completion in 1711.” More articles from Cleaning Matters: | 
