September 4, 1666 - Great Fire of London Destroys St. Paul’s Cathedral

The Great Fire of London in September of 1666 destroyed much of the city and devastated St. Paul’s Cathedral. The scaffolding of the building caught fire, and caused the metal roof to cave in, melt, and flow down the streets of London like a river. Its destruction paved the way for Sir Christopher Wren’s iconic Baroque masterpiece, the new St. Paul’s Cathedral that still stands today.