The Monument is one of those funny places which people just forget about. i had a meeitng a few minutes walk from it and i was a bit early so i paid my £2 and went in

there's 311 steps on the cantilevered stone staircase which seemed to go on forever

right at the top of the Monument is a drum and a copper urn from which flames emerged, symbolising the Great Fire. The whole thing is 202 feet high - the exact distance between it and the site in Pudding Lane where the Great fire of London began on 2 Sept 1666. The Monument was built to commemorate the Great Fire of London and to celebrate the rebuilding of the city.

thanks to 300+ years of public access the viewing platform is covered in graffiti

of course the thing that once stood high above the city is now lost amongst the taller building around it, like the new gherkin building

but there's still a fine view of Tower Bridge and the river