Monument to the Great Fire of London

You have got to love stairs, an amazing experience and the views at the top are great. Not a lot of space to past on the stairs, but not a problem. The outside is covered in a wire net, but if you put your camera lens up close you can get good photos.

There is a spiral staircase with 311 steps to get to the top of this monument but you are rewarded with 360° views of London. The stonework is amazing and worthy of a visit even if you don’t go up the stairs. The monument is east to get to with a tube station just a block away. It’s also an easy 10-15 minute walk from the Tower of London. After you descend back down the stairs there are a couple of nice pubs close by for a pint of beer.

Lots of stairs, can't really complain about that. Really - tons of stairs, more stairs than you think. The stairs feel like they never end.

Great views, especially on a good day. You'll get lots of good exercise and good photos! Just try not to look down in the stairs if you're afraid of heights or have vertigo.

You can't beat this for amazing views in all directions. Take your time with the stairs, there's a lot (311!) and there's no option but to walk up and down. Get a certificate on exit. Easy to find, very off the tube at Monument Station and it's right outside when you go onto the street.

Went here to look at it as it was shut to walk up it. Very spectacular high monument. Very informative. Lots of detail also. Would be cool to go up it one day to see the views from the top. Worth a look if you’re in the area.

This is a spectacular monument to the tragic Great Fire of London. It's massive. Climbing to the top involves 311 steps, the equivalent of climbing a 22 storey building. It's worth it though for the views at the top. History and exercise combined. It's a hard climb, but just take your time, and keep going.

What a pleasant surprise to visit this magnificent monument commemorating the Great Fire of London!

Found by accident whilst strolling through London, I didn't hesitate to buy a ticket (£5.8) and climb to the top as I love great views. After climbing the narrow spiral staircase, which by the way was stunning, made up from black marble, perfectly lit up and therefore very photogenic, I reached a very small observation platform to enjoy the views. It all is really very narrow - both the platform and the stairs - the platform can host like 10 people maximum not to feel claustrophobic or crowded and that is precisely the reason visitors are asked to leave backpacks downstairs, so I did that too. However there is no dedicated place for luggage storage, so my backpack was just sitting at the bottom of the staircase and I felt a little insecure about it.

The views were actually great, 360 degree views over the City of London. I really enjoyed the proximity of the skyscrapers in the City, they were so close, so reachable. The Tower Bridge and the Shard were also great to see! Unfortunately the platform is fenced all over, even above visitors' heads with square mesh fence, therefore it obstructs the views a little and makes it almost impossible to take a decent picture with SLR camera or any camera with large lens.

It was not really crowded during my visit (at a guess people are not too keen to climb stairs - 311 to be exact - and pay for it). Payment with a card was preferred. Visited in July 2022.

Tip: Don't forget to go around the base of the monument and read a little bit about its history on the rear side.

It's a must visit while on a trip to London. Probably not as famous as other landmarks. If on a bus tour, you will be able to see the top of the structure from a distance. To imagine what happened there centuries ago, is sad. The monument design is brilliant. There is English translation of the Latin inscriptions and this make it easier.