What happened in the Great Fire of London?
The Great Fire of London is one of the most well-known disasters in London’s history. It began on 2 September 1666 and lasted just under five days. One-third of London was destroyed and about 100,000 people were made homeless.
The fire had a devastating effect on the lives of Londoners from all parts of society. It took about 50 years to rebuild the ruined city. We can still see the evidence of the fire today through archaeological discoveries and the remains of ruined churches.
The Museum of London has many objects relating to the Great Fire that help us to answer questions about this terrible event.
- Introduction (this page)
- What caused the Great Fire?
- How did Londoners escape the fire?
- How was the fire put out?
- How much of London was destroyed?
- How was London rebuilt?
- Further information
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