Monument to the Great Fire of London

This 61-metre-high monument is a tribute to the tragedy that struck London in 1666. A devastating fire started in one of the bakeries in the City district, not far from London Bridge, and quickly spread across the city, destroying everything on its way. More than 13,000 buildings, including St Paul’s Cathedral, burned to ashes and over 70,000 Londoners were left homeless while they waited for the area to be rebuilt. Fortunately, reconstruction began quickly after the tragedy, thanks to the city’s substantial economic resources. Built from Portland stone, the base of this monument symbolises the destruction of the City and all the resources deployed to rebuild it. On its summit, a goblet of fire symbolises the regeneration of the city. Architect Sir Christopher Wren was in charge of rebuilding a large number of London’s buildings, and from 1671 he set about building this emblematic monument, taking care to add a real landmark: the 61-metre height of his monument matches the distance separating it from the place where the fire started! A fitting reminder of the dramatic event that left such a deep impression on Londoners.