​​A photograph taken on the 29 to 30 December 1940, showing the St Paul’s dome protruding through the smoke with bomb damaged buildings surrounding it, became an iconic image known as ‘St Paul’s Survives.’ It was following a German raid which became known as the ‘Second Great Fire of London’. It was estimated that around 160 people were killed and 500 injured. Hundreds of buildings were destroyed but St Paul’s Cathedral stood. This was the 114th night of the German blitz campaign. 

​It was said that Winston Churchill made a call to the headquarters of the National Fire Service and spoke to firefighter Beryl ‘Billie’ Morris. He said to her that he wanted them to save St Paul’s Cathedral, at all costs. The Prime Minister urged for that message to be passed to all the firefighters. 

​During the raid in which the photograph was taken, an incendiary bomb did in fact land on the roof of St Paul’s Cathedral and burnt through the lead roof. The threat was that it would then continue to burn and set the wooden beams in the roof of the cathedral on fire. This is what happened later during the blitz in the British city of Coventry, where the cathedral was destroyed. However, at St Paul’s the incendiary fell from the roof onto the stone gallery, where those on fire watch were quickly able to extinguish it. 

​St Paul’s cathedral is open to the public and tours are conducted inside.