What is the Whispering Gallery at St Paul’s Cathedral in London and what happened to Lidia Dragescu?
All you need to know about the stunning Whispering Gallery and how it got its unique name
IT'S ONE of the most recognisable London buildings and the cathedral that hosted the iconic royal wedding between Prince Charles and Lady Diana.
But what does St Paul's look like on the inside and how did the famous Whispering Gallery get its name?
What is the Whispering Gallery in St Paul’s cathedral?
The stunning Whispering Gallery in St Paul's Cathedral attracts visitors from all over the world.
The gallery is effectively a mezzanine level which runs around the interior of the dome of the church, overlooking the iconic hall of the cathedral below.
It is 30 metres up from ground level and tourists have to climb 257 steps to gain access to the gallery.
It was given its name because a "charming quirk in its construction" means that people can whisper against one wall and be heard on the opposite side.
When was the Whispering Gallery in St Paul’s cathedral built?
The iconic cathedral was built in the 17th Century to designs made by Sir Christopher Wren.
St Paul's is designed to resemble a cross when looked at from a bird's eye view, with the large dome crowning the intersection of its arms.
The building is 111.3m high and is one of the largest cathedral domes in the world.
It is still a practising place of worship holding services under the iconic dome. It was also the venue for Princess Diana's famous wedding to Prince Charles.
What happened to Lidia Dragescu?
On Wednesday October 11, 2017 Lidia Dragescu, 23, fell to her death from the Whispering Gallery at St Paul's.
The graduate was said to have been stressed and struggled with sadness. Her death was not treated as suspicious.
A statement on the cathedral website described "the shock we feel as a close community, especially for those of us who witnessed and responded to this incident.
"We think and pray especially at this time for the woman who died, and for all those who were close to her and who loved and cared for her."
The figure skater, who was training to be a brain surgeon, was found clutching two notes – with the mesages containing her final farewell.
resported that a note to Dragescu's mother read: "Mum, I am really sorry for upsetting you in this way.
"It would be natural to be upset but do not be for me, I am better now, in a better place.
"I am doing this for me, to escape.
"All of the past and the present, it makes my head heavy."
Her mother, Isabela, opened up to the Sun about her daughter's heartbreaking death.
"She wanted to see how it was on the other side," she said.
"She thought everything about this world was messy. She picked the cathedral because she needed to fly into God’s arms.";
