Sir Christopher Wren - A Profile

Britain's Greatest Architect

Oct 9, 2009

Sir Christopher Wren is one of Britain's most well-known and best-loved architects. How did this academic and scientist change the face of architecture in Britain?

Sir Christopher Wren (1632- 1723) is possibly Britain’s greatest, and certainly its most influential, architect. A spectacularly versatile academic Wren gained a world-class reputation as both a mathematician and an astronomer before turning his attention to architecture.

In this discipline he would truly excel, using his scientific background to express the beauty of geometry in a physical form. As an architect Wren achieved long lasting fame and through the construction of 51 city parish churches, including his masterpiece St Paul’s, he permanently left his mark on the city of London.

Wren’s Academic Background

The son of a rector, who later became the dean of Windsor, little is know of Wren before his arrival at Oxford in 1649. He quickly built on his reputation as a brilliant young academic, gaining his Bachelors in 1651, with his Masters following in 1653.

After graduating Wren continued his tenure at Oxford, absorbed in scientific studies, before leaving to London to take up the post as Professor of Astronomy at Gresham College in 1657. He returned to Oxford four years later, in 1661, to become the Savilian Professor of Astronomy.

Wren Becomes an Architect

1661 would prove to be the turning point in Christopher Wren's life. In this year he first turned his attention to architecture, and despite having not built a single building, King Charles II invited him to become Assistant to the Surveyor-General of the King’s Works. This appointment led to his involvement in the plans to reconstruct the aging St Paul’s Cathedral, a project that would define his career.

In the 17th century architecture was viewed as a combination of rules, geometry and calculation, thus Wren’s scientific background was considered training enough to practice the skill professionally. In 1663 he was handed his first commission, from his uncle the Bishop of Ely, to design Pembroke College in Cambridge. A commission to build a ceremonial hall at Oxford quickly followed. His design for the Sheldonian Theatre was heavily influenced by his study of classical Roman theaters, and soon after its construction had begun Wren left England to investigate European architecture firsthand.

On his return to London in 1666 Wren approached Charles II with a plan for the reconstruction of Old St Paul’s. This plan, which included a great dome, a structure that had not been seen before in England, was accepted. However, six days later an event occurred that would change the face of London, and provide Wren with a unique opportunity.

The Great Fire and Rebuilding of London

On the 2nd of September 1666 the Great Fire began; it raged for three days consuming over 13,000 homes and 80 churches, including Old St Paul’s. Though the fire was a disaster of great proportions, Wren saw this massive destruction as an opportunity for London to transform itself into a modern city, a rival to Paris or Rome. He produced a utopian plan for central London consisting of squares connected by open avenues, with the new St Paul’s standing at the center.

Wren was denied his chance to transform the city as his plan was unsurprisingly rejected due to the logistical problems of land ownership and a lack of financial support. He was, however, given the opportunity to rebuild 51 city churches including the centerpiece of his plan St Paul’s.

Wren’s Masterpiece: St Paul’s Cathedral

In 1711, 35 years after the great fire, with Wren nearing the end of a successful career that including the remodeling of Hampton Court and Kensington Palace and the completion of the Naval Hospital at Greenwich, St Paul’s was completed. This building, whose construction spanned almost his entire professional life, is undoubtedly Wren’s masterpiece. The giant Cathedral would have dwarfed every other building in 18th Century London, and the dome that topped it was the first to be seen in England.

Wren was not able transform London into a modern city to rival the great continental cities of Paris and Rome; however, he was able to create one building that was as great as any existing in the world. St Paul’s elevated the stature of British architecture to a new level, comparable with that of France and Italy for the first time in its history. This building set the standard for Britain’s great architectural tradition that continues to this day.

Wren’s Life: Important Dates

Wren's Brilliance

With a background as a highly educated scholar and scientist, Sir Christopher Wren rose to become the most important architect of his age. The Great Fire of London provided Wren with the perfect opportunity to display his talent. Although his overall project for London was too ambitious in scope, he was able to provide the city with over 50 magnificent city churches, including St Paul’s Cathedral. This, his masterpiece, was the finest piece of architecture ever to be built in Britain, it would influence generations of future architects, all of who would admire the brilliance of Wren.

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