Wanderlust World Wanderlust World In September 1666, a small bakery fire on Pudding Lane ignited a catastrophe that burned for four days, consuming the medieval heart of the City of London.
The flames destroyed roughly 13,200 houses, 89 churches (including the original St Paul’s Cathedral), the Royal Exchange, Guildhall, and countless other structures. About 70,000 of the City’s 80,000 residents were left homeless.
The fire prompted sweeping changes: wider streets, building regulations mandating brick and stone, the creation of organized fire brigades, and the rebuilding of St Paul’s under Sir Christopher Wren. It also accelerated the shift of commercial activity westward, shaping modern London’s geography.
The Great Fire remains a defining moment in urban history—a disaster that forced a medieval city to modernize, leaving a legacy visible in London’s layout and architecture today.