The Great Fire of London The Great Fire of London in September 1666 was one of the most famous incidents in the history of Great Britain. It was the second tragedy to hit London during one year. Just as London was recovering from the Great Plague, the citizens had to run away again – but now not because of a new disease, but because of a terrible fire.
The fire started on the night of September 2, 1666, in Pudding Lane, in a baker’s shop. The shop was owned by Thomas Farriner, the king’s baker. His maid didn’t put out the ovens at the end of the night. Soon the wooden home of Farriner was on fire. Farriner’s family left the house in panic and ran away. Thomas Farriner didn’t raise the alarm, though at that time it was possible to stop the fire.
The maid tried to climb out of the building too but failed. She was one of the few victims of the fire. Once it started, the fire spread quickly. London was basically made out of wood and after the hot summer, the city was very dry. Strong winds fanned the flames.
Besides, in the 17th century the city buildings were built close to each other and the fire spread with terrifying speed. Londoners tried to stop the fire, but their buckets of water could do nothing against such a terrible disaster. Unfortunately the Lord Mayor did not take any measures to stop the fire and the fire spread further.
After four days while helpless citizens were watching the destruction of their homes, the wind died and the fire was stopped. Then the accounting took place. Fully 80% of the city was destroyed including the spiritual centre of the city, Old St Paul's Cathedral. Surprisingly, very few people were killed.
Well, one person's disaster is another person's opportunity. Within days of the fire's end, an architect, Christopher Wren, proposed his plan to Charles II: it was a plan for the complete rebuilding of the city. Wren suggested making wide streets in the centre of London to open the city to light and air.
Charles II realized that Wren’s plan was very expensive and it would be difficult to put it into practice. Instead, Charles II offered that Wren rebuild the city's churches, including London’s main church – St Paul's Cathedral. Christopher Wren was completing this task for the next fifty years.
Christopher Wren also was responsible for building the London Monument, a memorial commemorating the fire. The Monument is a column with a height of 202 feet, which is the exact distance from the monument to the place where the fire began.
The original plans for the Monument provided a statue of Charles II on top, but Charles objected to the honour. He was afraid that the people of London would then associate him with the disaster. Wren replaced the statue with a simple bowl with flames. Nowadays the Monument is open for visitors all year round. Anyone can climb the 311 steps to the top of the Monument and enjoy a wonderful view of the city. |