Spectacle of ‘London Burning’ Commemorates The Great Fire

London burned to the ground Sunday night while thousands of locals and travelers looked on applauded the spectacle. It’s safe to say that wasn’t the reaction the last time this happened.

To commemorate the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London, the city commissioned the building of a 400-foot-long model of 17th century London from arts event organizer Artichoke and American artist David Best. It was set on a barge in the middle of the Thames near St. Paul’s Cathedral and set ablaze on the very date the original fire consumed began in 1666.

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According to a mix of history and legend, the Great Fire of London started in Thomas Farriner’s bakery in Pudding Lane. It would burn for four days, burn more than 13,000 homes and displaced 70,000 people.

The London Burning commemoration gave witnesses a chance to comprehend how massive the full scale must have been for 17th century Londoners. You can see some images for yourself below.

Photos by John Scott Lewinski

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