Changing views from fire monument

By Tom Warren
BBC News

The Monument to the Great Fire of London which swept through the city in 1666 is due to reopen next month after a major restoration.

But is the historic tower now surrounded by too many office blocks?

When The Monument opened in 1677 it stood tall above most of London.

Its designers Sir Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke had it built to a height of 202ft (61m) - the exact distance between the Doric column and the site in Pudding Lane where the blaze began.

The fire started in a baker's house on Sunday 2 September, 1666, and was finally extinguished after burning for five days and destroying most of the city.

Over the last 30 years we've taken a lot of trouble to protect the views from The Monument Peter Wynne Rees, city planner

Visitors who climbed The Monument in the 17th and 18th Centuries would have enjoyed an unbroken panorama of the river and skyline.

But today it is largely surrounded at close quarters by office blocks, many of which are as tall as - or even higher than - the landmark.

The 1,016 ft (310m) Shard of Glass skyscraper - said to be Europe's tallest tower block - is being built directly opposite The Monument on the other side of the Thames.

While architect Ken Shuttleworth, of Make Architects, is planning a 10-storey building, said to resemble an accordion, in the square at the junction of Monument Street and Fish Street Hill where the Great Fire memorial stands.

A new viewing platform has been installed at The Monument

Peter Wynne Rees, The City planning officer, said views from the stone landmark still remained spectacular.

"Over the last 30 years we've taken a lot of trouble to protect the views from The Monument, particularly [of] the bridges and the river, we have policies to protect specific open views."

He said many visitors now climbed the tower to look at contemporary buildings such as the Gherkin as well as older landmarks such as The Tower of London.

"The Shard of Glass is on the other side of the river and is out of our control, but again it will be something that people will want to see.

"The [accordion] building has been designed so it doesn't restrict views from The Monument."

He said the accordion building, which will have a roof garden designed as a giant sundial, would "enhance" the area.

Biggest disaster

But Meriel Jeater, curator of the London's Burning exhibition at Museum of London, said she thought there were too many tall buildings surrounding the tower.

"I remember when I went up the monument and I was expecting to have this lovely panorama of London beneath me and all I could see was office blocks.

"[The Monument] is important to mark one of London's biggest disasters and it's a shame.

"The Tower of London is another monument that's disappearing because of the buildings around it."

Architectural historian John Schofield said this was nothing new.

The Monument was enclosed by buildings of the same height during the 1800s, he said.

"Each generation of buildings gets bigger," he added.

The Monument is due to reopen to the public on 16 February following the £4.5m restoration programme, which has seen a new viewing platform installed.

The stonework of the tower has been cleaned and repaired and the golden orb on top has been re-gilded.