The restoration of St Paul's Cathedral

Gleaming ... a view St Paul's Cathedral and its spectacular dome, with scaffolding removed from the south facade at long last. Photograph: Lewis Whyld/PA

Grimy ... a view of St Paul's from Ludgate Circus, painted by John Atkinson Grimshaw in 1885. Photograph: Corbis

Next year the cathedral celebrates its 300th anniversary. Here a visitor looks at drawings for Sir Christopher Wren's design, now on display in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Photograph: Martin Argles/Guardian

Dome duty ... an aircraft spotter stands a nearby roof during the second world war. Photograph: Corbis

The dome of St Paul's stands untouched among flames and smoke from surrounding buildings, during the great fire raid of December 29 1940 - a famous image that became a patriotic symbol. Photograph: Corbis

Lucky escape ... The cathedral towers over buildings reduced to rubble. Photograph: Corbis

A workman repairs the steeple of the badly damaged St Mary-Le-Bow, another of Wren's city churches. Photograph: Corbis

Blackened but intact ... St Paul's Cathedral in September 1947, surrounded by bomb sites. Photograph: Corbis

The cathedral continues to be a much-loved London landmark, still dominating newer arrivals such as Tower 42 (centre, built 1971-79) and Norman Foster's Gherkin (right, 2001-04). Photograph: Corbis

By the 1980s the cathedral had acquired decades of dirt, grime and pollution. It continued to attract thousands of tourists but something needed to be done ... Photograph: Dallas and John Heaton/Corbis

... and this is the cathedral again in 2004, after its West Front was revealed following the first stage of the £40m restoration programme. Paternoster Square, which was flattened during the second world war, has also been rejuvenated (left). Photograph: Dan Chung/Guardian

Standing proud ... St Paul's in 2004 following the first stage of restoration. Photograph: Dan Chung/Guardian

Back under cover ... work on the south facade begins in late 2005. Photograph: Martin Argles/Guardian

Beautiful on the inside ... John Rutter conducts the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in a rehearsal for his requiem under the dome of St Paul's cathedral in 2005. Photograph: Dan Chung/Guardian

And once again on the outside ... the view to St Paul's from the Millenium Bridge after the latest stage of restoration works. Photograph: Lewis Whyld/PA

A detail of the restored stonework. Photograph: Lewis Whyld/PA

Mirror mirror ... the dome of St Paul's Cathedral is reflected in a nearby building. Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty

See you in 2008 ... an aerial view of St Paul's Cathedral in London, which will unveil its completely restored exterior next year. Photograph: Corbis