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For nearly 300 years, the dome1 of the present St. Paul’s Cathedral has presided over London's skyline. Considered one of England’s most beautiful landmarks2, two designs by noted3 architect Sir Christopher Wren4 were rejected at first. But revised plans were accepted in 1675.
"Wren had one great idea, and that was to have a great domed5 building. That was the one thing that was essential to his concept of the cathedral from beginning to end. It proved to be too revolutionary, I think for the dean and chapter of the time. It was too much a single domed building not sufficiently6 a building that had nave7, chancel, choir8, aisles9. "
Wren redesigned and persevered10 for nearly 50 years, living to see the dome’s construction completed. Weighing more than 71,000 tons when finished, it was a logistical and engineering feat11.
Inside, the cathedral combines architectural splendor12 with historic memorials. The tombs of British military heroes, the Duke of Wellington and Admiral Horatio Nelson are situated13 near American military heroes, in a chapel14 commemorating15 US service men and women who died during World War II.
Now the cathedral is undergoing its most extensive restoration to date. Parts like the dome were repaired decades before, but items like the peristyle just below needed some attention this time around. The weight of the dome pushed out the supporting wall, causing it to crack.
"While the stones are pushed displaced, they open up and the water can then get in through the skin of the building. Now Wren used a certain amount of iron work.If iron gets wet as we all know, it rusts16. When it rusts, it expands. When it expands, it blows the stonework to pieces. It’s therefore extremely important that we keep the whole thing watertight."
Water also seeps17 through stone into an iron belt that supports the dome, destroying the surrounding stone.
What you are actually seeing here is one of the lower fractures that come right down through the chain. We’re just making sure that the chain is whole, protected and doing its job.
The Portland stone blocks replacing those damages in the peristyle are hand-carved, just as they were three centuries ago. But interior walls were gently cleaned, using 21 century mixtures of rubber latex and alkaline base. Combining tradition and technology in this restoration project will allow millions to enjoy the cathedral for centuries to come.
The dean and chapter: The legal corporation and governing body of a cathedral. It consists of the dean, who is chief, and his canon or prebendaries.
1 dome | |
n.圆屋顶,拱顶 | |
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2 landmarks | |
n.陆标( landmark的名词复数 );目标;(标志重要阶段的)里程碑 ~ (in sth);有历史意义的建筑物(或遗址) | |
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3 noted | |
adj.著名的,知名的 | |
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4 wren | |
n.鹪鹩;英国皇家海军女子服务队成员 | |
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5 domed | |
adj. 圆屋顶的, 半球形的, 拱曲的 动词dome的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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6 sufficiently | |
adv.足够地,充分地 | |
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7 nave | |
n.教堂的中部;本堂 | |
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8 choir | |
n.唱诗班,唱诗班的席位,合唱团,舞蹈团;v.合唱 | |
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9 aisles | |
n. (席位间的)通道, 侧廊 | |
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10 persevered | |
v.坚忍,坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11 feat | |
n.功绩;武艺,技艺;adj.灵巧的,漂亮的,合适的 | |
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12 splendor | |
n.光彩;壮丽,华丽;显赫,辉煌 | |
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13 situated | |
adj.坐落在...的,处于某种境地的 | |
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14 chapel | |
n.小教堂,殡仪馆 | |
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15 commemorating | |
v.纪念,庆祝( commemorate的现在分词 ) | |
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16 rusts | |
n.铁锈( rust的名词复数 );(植物的)锈病,锈菌v.(使)生锈( rust的第三人称单数 ) | |
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17 seeps | |
n.(液体)渗( seep的名词复数 );渗透;渗出;漏出v.(液体)渗( seep的第三人称单数 );渗透;渗出;漏出 | |
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