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Monument to the Great Fire of London

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Monument to the Great Fire of London

KidRated’s Monument Top Tips:

  • Kids under 13 must be accompanied by an adult
  • Be prepared for stairs!
  • A great place to visit if you love views of London

 

Built between 1671 and 1677, Sir Christopher Wren’s flame-topped Monument is a Doric stone column commemorating the 1666 Great Fire of London. It is built on the site of St Margaret’s, the first church burnt down by the fire, and is 212 feet tall to mark its distance from the fire’s reported starting place on Pudding Lane.

 

Recently, the Monument has undergone repair works, as well as re-gilding the golden orb to make this symbol of the fire’s flames as impressive as ever.

 

Those feeling brave (and energetic!) can climb the 311 winding steps to the top of the world’s tallest freestanding stone column in order to benefit from the stunning views across London visible from the Monument’s open-air observation gallery. What’s more, if you do so you get a certificate to prove your achievement!

 

For any of us counting our steps, this will be sure to take you way past the mark.

 

For more of architecture by Sir Christopher Wren check out St Paul’s Cathedral and the Old Royal Naval College.

 


Booking Advice:

  • You can buy tickets which also include entry to the Tower Bridge Exhibition
  • No need to book in advance
  • Under 16s tickets cost just £2!

VISITOR INFORMATION

Where:

Monument Street
London
EC3R 8AH

When:

All year

Phone number:

+44 (0) 207 626 2717

Website:

How to get there:

Tube: Monument or London Bridge.
Bus: 17, 521, 21, 43, 133, 141, 48, 149 (all routes through London Bridge).

Useful information:

Adults £4; concessions £2.70; under 16s £2.00. Joint tickets available, see website for full details.

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Teen Verdict

Things to do, places to go for kids and teenagers - cool, academic, fun and entertaining in London and beyond with KidRated

Elliot, age 15

I did this when I was about 11 and remembered how excited I was counting the steps and getting a certificate at the end.

It’s definitely an attraction that appeals to young kids but this time I appreciated the views more. I also got quite a few good shots for Instagram so I think if other teenagers go planning to do that they’ll enjoy it.

Parent Point of View

Things to do, places to go for kids and teenagers - cool, academic, fun and entertaining in London and beyond with KidRated

Laura Porter

  • It doesn’t take long to visit The Monument but the certificate makes it all worthwhile.
  • Kids learning about the Great Fire of London will appreciate coming here and it’s easy to spend more time seeing other sights in The City on the same day.
  • The observation gallery isn’t that big but you are perfectly safe behind a cage.
  • Don’t take big bags as you have to pass other visitors on the narrow steps.

You can find loads more information by Laura Porter at aboutlondonlaura.com 

Have your say...

One comment on “Monument to the Great Fire of London” | Add a comment

  1. Kitty

    Climbed up here this week, kids did it easily – staircase gets quite narrow at the top though! Absolute must for any kids studying the Great Fire of London – my 6 year old has been learning all about it this term and knew more about it than me, seeing the real Pudding Lane sign nearby was great. Kids loved getting the certificate at the end.
    Fantastic to walk from here right down Cannon Street to St Pauls to see just how far the fire spread.

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