On 2nd September 1666 fire broke out in a bakery on Pudding Lane in London. The fire raged for 4 days and destroyed 1/3 of all buildings were destroyed and 86% of the city was burned to the ground. It took 50 years to rebuild the city!
The Monument to the Great Fire of London was opened in 1677 and was designed by Dr Robert Hooke and Christopher Wren. It is a 202ft column made of Portland stone topped with a golden orb. It was originally designed to have an underground laboratory and double as a Zenith telescope, for gravity and pendulum experiments.
At 160ft there is a public viewing platform reached by a spiral stone staircase of 311 steps. The viewing platform gives you a 360º view of the surrounding area including fabulous views of Tower Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral and The Gherkin. On completion of your decent you will receive a certificate for climbing the tower.
Tickets and Opening Times
Opening hours are 09:30-13:00 and 14:00-18:00 (with last entry at 12:30 and 17:30). It’s worth noting that during school term time, mornings may be busy with school groups. At particularly busy times you may have to wait as numbers inside the tower are restricted.
Tickets can be bought at The Monument and cost £6.00 for an adult ticket with various concessions also available.
Things to note
The staircase is a stone spiral staircase, just wide enough for 2 people to pass. Large backpacks and bags are not allowed up The Monument and there is space for them to be left at the bottom of the stairs although this is at your own risk.
The Monument is located on Fish Street, a short walk from Pudding Lane.
We visited in January 2026.
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