This is a composite panorama taken from the tower of the church. There is a very narrow walkway that encircles the tower, wide enough for about one person at a time. Taking a panoramic image form one place would mean that the tower itself would occupy a large part of the view. Instead, I walked round the tower waiting for people to move and the skies to clear (it rained up there on the way through) to take a number of shots from various points. The resulting panorama is a view over Oxford as if taken above the tower itself. This is a fantastic view of the Oxford skyline. It took about an hour to take the pictures, and another hour to put them together afterwards.

Unversity Church of St Mary the Virgin Tower - Oxford visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Unversity Church of St Mary the Virgin Tower' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Oxfordshire.

This panorama is a composite of a number of pictures taken from the viewing area that encircles the tower of the Unversity Church of St Mary the Virgin in Oxford. This is one of the best places from which to admire the skyline of Oxford, and gives an amazing panoramic view of the city. It is also one of the best places to look at the Radcliffe Camera building, Radcliffe Square and see over the buildings of All Souls College. Entrance to the church and access to the tower are ticketed. The church is more commonly referred to as St Mary's or SMV. This is one of the largest parish churches in Oxford, claimed by some to be have one of the most beautiful spires in England. The church and tower date from the 13th century.

Taken in such a way as to remove the tower from the resulting panoramic image, the picture shows an amazing an unique view over the Oxford skyline, with the hills of Oxfordshire in the distance and the numerous towers and spires of the various college chapels and churches rising above the city. This most clearly shows why Oxford is called the 'City of Dreaming Spires' in most of the tourist literature. It also shows why this tower is a hugely popular tourist attraction and one of the most favoured places from which to look out over Oxford itself. There are other panoramas showing the Radcliffe Camera taken from the south of Radcliffe Square.

University Church of St. Mary the Virgin,
High Street,
Oxford
OX1 4AH

The church is on the High Street of Oxford.