Monument to the Great Fire of London: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article

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Monument to the Great Fire of London

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	Topics Monument to the Great Fire of London Topic Home The Monument to the Great Fire of London, more commonly known as The Monument, is a 61 metre (202 ft) tall stone Roman doric column in the City of LondonCity of London The City of London is a small area in Greater London, England.... , near to the northern end of London BridgeLondon Bridge London Bridge is a bridge in London, England over the River Thames, between the City of London and Southwark.... . It is located at the junction of Monument Street and Fish Street Hill, 61 metres (202 ft) from where the Great Fire of LondonGreat Fire of London The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the City of London from 2-5 September 1666, and result... started in 1666. Another monument, the Golden Boy of Pye CornerGolden Boy of Pye Corner The Golden Boy of Pye Corner is located on the corner of in Smithfield, London.... marks the point near SmithfieldSmithfield, London Smithfield is an area in the north-west part of the City of London.... where the fire stopped. Monument tube stationBank and Monument stations Bank and Monument are interlinked London Underground stations, spanning the length of King William Street in the City ... is named after The Monument. The Monument consists of a large fluted DoricDoric order The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of Ancient Greek or classical architecture; the... columnColumn A column in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits through compression the ... built of Portland stonePortland stone Overview Portland stone is limestone from the Jurassic period quarried on the Isle of Portland, Dorset.... topped with a gildedGilding Gilding is the art of spreading gold, either by mechanical or by chemical means, over the surface of a body for the purpose ... urnURN URN is a TLA which represents one of several ideas:... of fireFire Fire is a phenomenon of combustion manifested in intense heat and light in the form of a glow or flames.... , and was designed by Christopher WrenChristopher Wren Sir Christopher Wren, was a 17th century English designer, astronomer, geometrician, and the greatest English architect of ... and Robert HookeRobert Hooke Robert Hooke, FRS was an English polymath who played an important role in the scientific revolution, through both experimen... . The west side of the base of the Monument displays an emblemEmblem An emblem consists of a pictorial * Symbol... atical sculptureSculpture A sculpture is a three-dimensional, human-made object selected for special recognition as art.... , by Caius Gabriel CibberCaius Gabriel Cibber Caius Gabriel Cibber was a Danish sculptor, and the father of Colley Cibber.... , in alto and bas relief, of the destruction of the City; with King Charles IICharles II of England Charles II was the King of England, King of Scots, and King of Ireland from 30 January 1649 or 29 May 1660 until his deat... , and his brother, James, the Duke of York (later James IIJames II of England James VII of Scotland and James II of England became King of Scots, King of England, and King of Ireland on 6 February... ) surrounded by LibertyLiberty Liberty is generally considered a concept of political philosophy and identifies the condition in which an individual has im... , ArchitectureArchitecture * Architectural history* Architectural mythology... , and ScienceScience Science in the broadest sense refers to any system of knowledge attained by verifiable means.... , giving directions for its restoration. Its 61-metre height marks the monument's distance to the site of Thomas Farynor, the king's baker's shop in Pudding LanePudding Lane Pudding Lane is the street in London formerly containing Farryner's bakehouse where the Great Fire of London began in 1666.... , where the fire began. At the time of construction (between 1671 and 1677) it was the tallest freestanding stoneRock (geology) A rock is a naturally occurring aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.... column in the world. It is possible to reach the top of the monument by climbing up the narrow winding staircase of 311 steps. A cage (see picture) was added in the mid-19th century at the top of the Monument to prevent people jumping off, after six people had committed suicideSuicide Summary Suicide is the act of willfully ending one's own life.... between 1788 and 1842. Three sides of the base of the monument carry inscriptions in LatinLatin Summary Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome.... . The one on the south side describes actions taken by Charles II following the fire. The one on the east describes how the monument was started and brought to perfection, and under which mayors. The one on the north describes how the fire started, how much damage it caused, and how the fire was extinguished. In 1681 the words "but Popish frenzy, which wrought such horrors, is not yet quenched" were added to the end of the inscriptionInscription Overview Inscriptions are words or letters written, engraved, painted, or otherwise traced on a surface and can appear in contexts bo... . (The west side is described above.) The inscription on the east generally blames Roman Catholics for the fire, and this prompted Alexander PopeAlexander Pope Alexander Pope is generally regarded as the greatest English poet of the early eighteenth century, best known for his satir... to say, of the area that it is where, Where London’s column, pointing at the skies, Like a tall bully, lifts the head and lies." -- Moral Essays. Epistle iii. Line 339 (1733-1734). The words were chiselled out in 1831. History The first Rebuilding Act, passed in 1669, stipulated that "the better to preserve the memory of this dreadful visitation", a column of either brass or stone should be set up on Fish Street Hill, on or near the site of Farryner's bakery, where the fire began. Wren, as Surveyor-General of the King's Works was asked to submit a design. It was not until 1671 that the City Council approved the design, and it was another six years before the 202-foot Monument was complete. It was two more years before the inscription, (which, had been left to Wren -- or to Wren's choice -- to decide upon) was set in place. "Commemorating -- with a brazen disregard for the truth -- the fact that 'London rises again...three short years complete that which was considered the work of ages.'" Surviving drawings show that several versions of the Monument were submitted for consideration: a plain obelisk, a column garnished with tongues of fire, and the fluted Doric column that was eventually chosen. The real contention came with the problem of what type of ornament would cap the Monument. Initially Wren favored a statue of a phoenix with outstretched wings rising from the ashes. As the Monument neared completion he decided instead on a 15-foot tall statue of either Charles II, or a sword-wielding female to represent a triumphant London; the cost of either running an estimated £1,050. King Charles himself preferred a simple copper-gilded ball "with flames sprouting from the top" costing little more than £325. But ultimately it was the design of a flaming gilt-bronze urn suggested by Robert HookeRobert Hooke Robert Hooke, FRS was an English polymath who played an important role in the scientific revolution, through both experimen... that was decided upon. The total cost for the Monument was £13,450 11s 9d., of which £11,300 was paid to the mason-contractor Joshua Marshall. The area around the base of the Monument, Monument Street, has been pedestrianised in a £790,000 street improvement scheme. The Monument closed on July 30, 2007 for an 18 month, £4.5 million refurbishment project. Monument as scientific instrument Wren and Hooke built the Monument to double as a scientific instrument. It has a central shaft meant for use as a zenith telescopeZenith telescope A zenith telescope is an instrument adapted for the measurement of small differences of zenith distance, and used in the det... and for use in gravity and pendulum experiments that connects to an underground laboratory for observers to work (accessible from the present-day ticket booth). A hinged lid in the urn covers the opening to the shaft. The steps in the shaft of the tower are all apparently exactly 6 inches high, allowing them to be used for accurate barometric pressure studies. Gallery In fiction The Monument is a prominent setting in System of the WorldThe System of the World (novel) *The System of the World, a novel by Neal Stephenson, forms the third volume in The Baroque Cycle.... , the 3rd book in Neal StephensonNeal Stephenson Neal Town Stephenson* is an American writer, known primarily for his science fiction works in the postcyberpunk genre with a... 's Baroque Cycle. George, the hero of Charlie FletcherCharlie Fletcher Charlie Fletcher is a British author and screenwriter.... 's children's book about unLondon StoneheartStoneheart *Stoneheart* is a children's novel by Charlie Fletcher, published in 2006.... , has a fight at the top of the Monument with a raven and a gargoyle. See also History of LondonHistory of London London has a recorded history that goes back over 2,000 years.... On a Grander Scale: The Outstanding Career of Sir Christopher Wren (ISBN 0-00-710775-7 hardback, ISBN 0-00-710776-5 paperback) External links