Visiting the Monument to the Great Fire of London, a commemorative column for the 1666 disaster
The column built to honor the memory of the Great Fire of London, commonly called the Monument to the Great Fire of London, is a 61-meter Doric column located in the City of London, in the northern part of the British capital. It stands as a reminder of one of the most tragic events the city ever endured. In 1666, a massive fire consumed 175 hectares, destroying 13,000 homes and about 100 churches.
Design and symbolism
The Monument to the Great Fire of London, built 5 years later according to the plans of the King's Surveyor of Works Christopher Wren, marks the site of Farryner's bakery on Pudding Lane, where the fire began. Several designs were proposed, and many disagreements broke out regarding the top of the column. Would it be a phoenix rising from the ashes or a gilded bronze ball? Ultimately, a flaming urn, proposed by Robert Hooke, was chosen. Constructed entirely of Portland stone, Latin inscriptions on 3 sides describe the history of the fire, the damage caused, its extinction, the reconstruction led by Charles II of England, and the building of the column itself. A sentence blaming Catholics for the tragedy was erased in 1831.
An astronomical laboratory
Beyond its role as a memorial, the Monument to the Great Fire of London was designed to house a central shaft connected to an underground astronomical laboratory. Unfortunately, because the column was sensitive to wind and city traffic, it could not provide scientifically reliable measurements. The tower's spiral staircase was intended for this scientific use. Be sure to climb its 311 steps for a great view of London!
I hadn't planned on visiting the monument, but while passing by, I decided to climb it since there wasn't much of a crowd. This beautiful Doric column isn't particularly interesting on its own, as it serves more as a memorial to the fire that struck the city. You have to climb about 300 steps to reach the top via a very narrow staircase. The view from the top is pretty and can perfectly substitute for the one offered by the London Eye, which is much more expensive.