Name: Monument to the Great Fire of London
Address: Fish St Hill, London EC3R 8AH, UK
Telephone: 020 7403 3761
Rating: 4.5

Sir Christopher Wren-designed column commemorating London's Great Fire, with a viewing platform.

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The Monument stands at 202 feet (62 meters) tall, deliberately chosen to be the exact distance it stands from the bakery on Pudding Lane where the Great Fire started.

Height in Feet

The Monument is a fluted Doric column, a classical architectural style known for its simple and sturdy design.

Column Style

The Monument was co-designed by Sir Christopher Wren, the architect also responsible for rebuilding St. Paul's Cathedral after the Great Fire.

Co-Designer

A gilded golden urn of fire adorns the top of the Monument, symbolizing the Great Fire of London.

Flame Symbol

A metal cage was added to the top of the Monument in the 19th century to prevent suicides, after several people tragically jumped from the structure.

Suicide Prevention

The original cost to enter the Monument was 3d (three pence), which is equivalent to about £2.50 in today's money.

Cost in Pounds

Monument to the Great Fire of London

The Monument to the Great Fire of London, often simply called "The Monument," stands as a fluted Doric column, a starkly elegant reminder of the devastating 1666 fire. Its height, precisely 202 feet, mirrors its distance from the bakery on Pudding Lane where the inferno began. Constructed from Portland stone, the Monument's hollow interior houses a winding staircase of 311 steps leading to a viewing platform. Atop the column, a gilded urn spouts flames, a symbolic representation of the fire itself. Intriguingly, the initial design featured a statue of Charles II, but this was replaced due to cost and potential political sensitivities. The Monument's construction, overseen by Sir Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke, incorporated scientific instruments for experiments, reflecting the era's fascination with natural philosophy. A low relief sculpture at the base depicts Charles II surrounded by allegorical figures, offering a narrative of the fire's impact and subsequent rebuilding efforts. The Monument once bore an inscription blaming Catholics for the fire, a controversial addition that was eventually removed.

Introduction

The Monument to the Great Fire of London, designed by Sir Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke, offers panoramic views of London from its viewing platform. This iconic structure, a fluted Doric column, stands 202 feet tall, a height that mirrors its distance from the Pudding Lane location where the Great Fire of 1666 began. Climbing the Monument's 311 steps rewards visitors with sweeping vistas of the city.

Constructed between 1671 and 1677, the Monument provides a historical vantage point, allowing observers to see how London has evolved since the Great Fire. Although modern buildings have risen around it, the views remain captivating. A mesh cage, added in the mid-19th century, now encloses the viewing platform.

The Monument's location at the junction of Monument Street and Fish Street Hill places it in the heart of the City of London, offering a unique perspective on the surrounding architecture and landmarks. The experience of ascending the Monument and witnessing London's skyline provides a tangible connection to the city's history and its ongoing development.

Panoramic Views of London

The Monument to the Great Fire of London, a Doric column, stands as a significant example of this architectural style in England. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke, the column is a fluted Doric structure crafted from Portland stone. Its design commemorates the Great Fire of 1666 and celebrates the city's subsequent rebuilding.

Rising to a height of 202 feet (61.6 meters), the Monument's dimensions are not arbitrary; its height mirrors the distance to the location in Pudding Lane where the fire began. The column is topped with a gilded urn of fire, a symbolic representation of the conflagration it memorializes. Inside, a cantilevered stone staircase with 311 steps ascends to a viewing platform.

The column's base features inscriptions in Latin on three sides, detailing the fire, the restoration efforts led by King Charles II, and the monument's construction. The Doric design extends to the column's shaft, which was intended for use as a scientific instrument, including a zenith telescope and gravity and pendulum experiments. The steps within the shaft are precisely six inches high, designed for barometric pressure studies. The Monument is the tallest isolated stone column in the United Kingdom.

Doric Column Architecture

The Monument to the Great Fire of London, beyond its commemorative purpose, was conceived as a scientific instrument, a testament to the combined scientific interests of Robert Hooke and Christopher Wren. Constructed between 1671 and 1677, this Doric column of Portland stone was designed with dual functionality in mind: to memorialize the Great Fire and to serve as a zenith telescope.

Beneath the structure lies a subterranean laboratory, accessible via a hidden hatch and staircase. This circular chamber features a hole in its domed roof, aligning precisely with the column's central shaft, offering a clear view up to the golden orb at the monument's peak. Trapdoors concealed within this orb could be opened to provide an unobstructed view of the sky, enabling the column's use as a colossal zenith telescope for astronomical observation.

Hooke intended to use this unique instrument to measure minute shifts in the positions of stars directly overhead, with the goal of calculating the Earth’s orbit radius around the Sun. However, the experiments were unsuccessful due to vibrations caused by heavy traffic and wind, which compromised the telescope's accuracy. By 1676, astronomical pursuits shifted to the newly established Royal Observatory in Greenwich, also influenced by Hooke’s designs. Despite its failure as a functional telescope, the Monument remains a fascinating example of 17th-century scientific ambition, ingeniously merging memorial architecture with the pursuit of astronomical knowledge.

Scientific Instrument History

The Monument to the Great Fire of London, often called simply "The Monument," stands as a lasting commemoration of the Great Fire of 1666. Erected between 1671 and 1677, the Doric column marks the approximate location where the fire began in Thomas Farriner's bakery on Pudding Lane. Its 202-foot height mirrors the distance between the Monument and the fire's origin, serving as a constant reminder of the blaze's impact.

Designed by Sir Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke, the Monument not only commemorates the disaster but also celebrates the city's rebuilding. The structure itself was built on the site of St Margaret, New Fish Street, the first church destroyed by the Great Fire. The column's viewing platform, reached by a spiral staircase of 311 steps, offers panoramic views of London, allowing visitors to reflect on the city's resilience.

Inscriptions in Latin on the Monument's base recount the events of the fire, the actions taken by King Charles II in response, and the progress of the Monument's construction. Originally, controversial text falsely blamed Roman Catholics for the fire, reflecting the political tensions of the time. Although this text was later removed, it underscores how the Monument has served as a canvas for interpreting the fire's causes and consequences. The copper urn of flames at the top of the column symbolizes the fire itself, ensuring that the Great Fire remains a visible and enduring part of London's historical narrative.

Great Fire Commemoration

Sir Christopher Wren, a prominent figure known for his architectural prowess and scientific acumen, played a pivotal role in the design of the Monument to the Great Fire of London. Appointed Surveyor General to King Charles II, Wren, in collaboration with his colleague Dr. Robert Hooke, conceived the Doric column as a permanent memorial to the devastating fire of 1666. Constructed between 1671 and 1677, the Monument stands near the site where the fire originated, serving both as a commemoration and a celebration of the city's rebuilding.

Wren's design incorporated a cantilevered stone staircase of 311 steps within the Portland Stone column, leading to a viewing platform. The structure's height of 202 feet (61 meters) mirrors the distance between the Monument and the bakery in Pudding Lane where the fire began. Topping the column is a drum and a copper urn vase of flames, symbolizing the Great Fire itself.

Wren presented several designs for the Monument, with the final selection reflecting his vision for a landmark that was both functional and symbolic. Although initially used for experiments by the Royal Society, it soon became purely a place of historic interest. Wren's involvement with the Monument underscores his commitment to rebuilding London after the fire, with St. Paul's Cathedral being another testament to his architectural legacy.

Monument to the Great Fire of London

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Height in Feet

Column Style

Co-Designer

Flame Symbol

Highlights from Reviews

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