The Great Fire of London

history · disaster · 1600s · cities

Four-Day Blaze. The Great Fire of London raged from September 2 to September 5, 1666, burning through the heart of the city. It destroyed huge areas of the medieval City of London that had been built inside the old Roman walls.

Medieval City Destroyed. The fire gutted the old medieval part of London, wiping out buildings that had stood for centuries. It was so powerful that it spread beyond the ancient Roman city walls to the west as well.

Surprisingly Few Deaths. Even though the fire was enormous, the death toll was surprisingly small, though some historians debate exactly how many people died. The fire spread so fast that many Londoners had time to escape.

Major Rebuilding Happened. After the fire was put out, London had to be completely rebuilt from scratch with new buildings and streets. This gave the city a chance to improve and become more modern than before.