Best for
History fans, budget-conscious viewpoint seekers, fit walkers
Time needed
30–45 minutes
Worth it?
Yes for the price — one of the cheapest genuine viewpoints in the City
Skip if
You have mobility issues or a fear of narrow, enclosed spiral staircases
About Monument to the Great Fire of London
Designed by Christopher Wren and his collaborator Robert Hooke and completed in 1677, the Monument commemorates the Great Fire of London of September 1666, which destroyed roughly 13,200 houses and 87 churches across the medieval City. Its height, 202 feet (61 metres), is precisely the distance from its base to the site of Thomas Farriner's bakery on Pudding Lane, where the fire began — a piece of design symbolism typical of Wren's exacting approach.
Inside the fluted Doric column, a tight spiral staircase of 311 stone steps climbs to a viewing platform enclosed in a cage (added in the 19th century after a string of suicides), from which visitors get one of the City of London's best close-up views over the surrounding financial district, St Paul's Cathedral and the Thames.
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At street level, an inscription and sculpted relief by Caius Gabriel Cibber depict the fire's destruction and the City's subsequent rebuilding, while the gilded copper flaming urn at the column's summit, sometimes mistaken for a torch, represents the fire itself.
Because the climb is a genuine physical effort with no lift, and the platform is fairly narrow, it works best for visitors happy to trade a few minutes of exertion for one of the cheapest, most central viewpoints in the City.
What to See: Highlights
- 1311 spiral stone steps to a viewing platform over the City
- 2A height precisely matching the distance to where the Great Fire began
- 3Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke's exacting 1677 design
- 4Sculpted reliefs depicting the Great Fire and London's rebuilding
- 5One of the cheapest viewpoints in central London
- 6A gilded flaming urn atop the column symbolising the fire
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Insider Tips
There is no lift — 311 steps up a narrow spiral staircase, not suitable for limited mobility
A certificate is given to visitors who complete the climb
Combine with the nearby Sky Garden and Leadenhall Market for a City of London walk
The staircase is narrow, so passing other visitors can require patience
Visit on a clear day for the best views from the viewing platform
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Getting There
Fish Street Hill, London EC3R 8AH
Open in Google Maps →- 1Monument (Circle, District lines) — directly outside.
Where to stay
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Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know before you visit.
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Should You Visit?
Visit if...
- You want a City viewpoint without paying Shard or Sky Garden-level prices
- You're interested in the history of the Great Fire of London
- You're fit enough for 311 steps and don't mind narrow staircases
- You're already exploring the City near Monument or London Bridge
Skip if...
- You have mobility issues or dislike narrow, enclosed spiral staircases
- You've already got a City viewpoint covered via Sky Garden or The Shard
Ready to Book Your Visit?
More to See in London
Tower Bridge
London's iconic Victorian bascule bridge, free to cross on foot, with a paid glass-floor walkway 42 metres above the Thames and Victorian engine rooms below.
St Paul's Cathedral
Christopher Wren's Baroque masterpiece and dome, rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1666, offering a Whispering Gallery, a crypt with Nelson's and Wellington's tombs, and 360-degree city views from the top.
Sky Garden
London's highest free public garden, spanning three storeys atop the "Walkie-Talkie" skyscraper with 360-degree views over the City and the Thames.