The Monument |
It was designed by Robert Hooke and Sir Christopher Wren to commemorate the 1666 Great Fire of London which destroyed much of the mediaeval City of London which lay within the original city walls.
The Monument stands 61.5 metres (202 feet) high, which is the distance from where the Great Fire first started at a bakery in Pudding Lane.
Altogether the fire consumed 87 churches including St Paul's Cathedral, and over 13,000 thatched wooden houses.
The Monument Building
The Monument remains the tallest freestanding stone column in the world.
The Monument consists of a Roman Doric column with an inner staircase leading up to the viewing platform. On top of the monument is a golden urn with symbolic flames emerging from it.
Three sides of the base have Latin inscriptions giving details of the Great Fire of London.
Originally there were inscriptions blaming the Roman Catholics for the blaze, but these were removed by chiseling them out in 1831.
After a recent cleaning and refurbishment programme, which included regilding the fabulous golden decoration on top of the impressive column, visitors can climb to the top for wonderful views from the gallery.
For those who do not want to toil up 311 steps to the top, views from the observation deck are relayed live to a video screen at ground level.
Every year 100,000 visitors climb the steep spiral staircase to the top to experience the panoramic views across the city including the nearby Financial District.
Uses of the Monument in London
Initially the Monument was used by the Royal Society for carrying out various experiments relating to gravity, barometric pressure and pendulums.
The Monument was then used as a site of historic interest and became popular as an observation gallery for the public to enjoy far reaching views from the 48 metre (160 foot) high platform.
You will find the Monument situated on the junction of Monument Street and Fish Street Hill, close to the north end of London Bridge in central London.
Admission is very affordable compared to other more modern observation points such as the Shard and the London Eye.
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Directions |
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The Monument is located at the junction of Monument Street and Fish Street Hill. By Bus: Use bus numbers 17, 521, 21, 43, 133, 141, 48, 149 (all routes through London Bridge). By train: Nearest stations are London Bridge, Fenchurch Street or Tower Gateway DLR stations By tube: Nearest stations are Monument (District and Circle lines) or London Bridge (Northern and Jubilee lines) By car: The nearest car parks are: Q Park (Tel 020 7248 5874) Bucklesbury House, 4 Wallbrook, London EC4N 8DQ or Thames Exchange NCP (Tel 020 7248 6089), Bell Wharf Lane off Upper Thames Street, London EC4R 3TB. |
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The Monument Postcode for SatNav: EC3R 8AH
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Days Out near The Monument
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Bank of England Museum (<1 Mile)*
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The Shard (<1 Mile)*
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London Dungeon (<1 Mile)*
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Tate Modern (<1 Mile)*
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The Tower of London (<1 Mile)*
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HMS Belfast (<1 Mile)*
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Shakespeare's Globe Theatre (<1 Mile)*
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Museum of London (1 Mile)*
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Tower Bridge Exhibition (1 Mile)*
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St. Paul's Cathedral (1 Mile)*
Places to Visit near The Monument
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City of London (<1 Mile)*
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Bloomsbury (1 Mile)*
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London (2 Miles)*
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London Borough of Islington (2 Miles)*
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London Borough of Southwark (2 Miles)*
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London Borough of Lambeth (4 Miles)*
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London Borough of Camden (4 Miles)*
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London Borough of Greenwich (4 Miles)*
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London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (5 Miles)*
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London Borough of Haringey (5 Miles)*
Also near The Monument |
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