One of London’s most famous landmarks is opening the doors to its hidden library, allowing guests the chance to stay overnight surrounded by its literary treasures.
St Paul’s Cathedral will allow two lucky guests the chance to immerse themselves in the enchanting world of literature and stay in its “secret” room – as well as enjoy dinner at a nearby restaurant and breakfast the next morning – all for just £7. It adds a whole new meaning to bedtime reading: St Paul’s Cathedral is opening its hidden library for a once-in-a-lifetime overnight stay in honour of World Book Day.
For one night only, two guests will be able to stay in the “secret” room of the historic London landmark on 15 March. It is the first time anyone has officially slept inside the cathedral since the second world war, when a voluntary organisation protected the venue from bombing raids.
During their stay, the guests will enter the cathedral through the dean’s door and climb the spiral staircase, designed by the English architect Sir Christopher Wren more than 300 years ago.
At the top of the staircase is the recently restored library, which dates to 1709 and hosts a rare collection of more than 22,000 written texts, ranging from medieval manuscripts, books from the earliest days of printing to upcoming releases. A stay includes a welcome by the dean, a tour of the cathedral and dinner at a nearby restaurant.
The next morning, after breakfast, guests will receive signed and stamped copies of yet-to-be-published books – including Holly Jackson’s The Reappearance of Rachel Price and John Grisham’s Camino Ghosts – then climb to the famous dome to finish their stay.
The cathedral’s director of visitor engagement, Sandra Lynes Timbrell, said: “The recently restored library at St Paul’s has long been a secret gem of the cathedral – cleverly concealed by the ingenious architecture of Sir Christopher Wren.
“Some very fortunate guests will now get the chance to delve deeper into the history and wonder of St Paul’s with this truly one-of-a-kind stay.” The stay, which is said to include dinner and breakfast, will be available to book through Airbnb from 12 March.