The Monument.This is it. There are a lot of monuments in London and a lot of monumental things in the world. But this is 'The Monument'.
I walk by it every day. It stands, towering, nearly 62 m tall, just around the corner from my workplace. But since I moved to london, it has been hidden behind scaffolding and draped by tarps. It undergoes regular maintenance - regular being once a century - and just my luck, the centennial makeover fell just in time for my arrival.
I took my usual route over London Bridge to work today, and from the corner of my eye, noticed something was up. Literally. Had to look up to see it. The work is nearly completed and I saw the whole of The Monument for the first time.
It's...well...tall. Phallic. But worth more than a quick glance. It reminds me of St Paul's, another product of Cristpher Wren's design, in it's grandeur and in that it is simple and elaborate all at once. There is more to it - more detail - than my amateur photography can capture.
All monuments commemorate something, so you're probably wondering what.
This is The Monument to The Great Fire of London. It stands where the inferno got going in 1666. It got me thinking about the recent blaze across southern Australia, about the devastation and the death, and cities burnt to ashes. Flames as tall as this edifce. I guess this is what a monument is for -a tribute to mark history, something to remind us.
Had a moment. Then on toward the office.
