The Monument

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In September 1666, a devastating fire raged through London for 3 consecutive days, leaving thousands of buildings in its wake. A lasting tribute to this catastrophic event, affectionately known as "The Monument" by locals, stands proudly one block away from the 3D printing exhibition site this year - exactly 348 years after the blaze was brought under control. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend the show this year, but if you do make it, you'll have the opportunity to ascend the 311 steps within the tower on a cantilevered staircase leading up to the observation deck. Alternatively, you could simply print out one and admire it from afar;) According to Wikipedia, as part of London's rebuilding efforts, it was decided to construct a permanent memorial near the site where the Great Fire began. Sir Christopher Wren, King Charles II's trusted Surveyor General and architect behind St. Paul’s Cathedral, teamed up with his colleague Dr Robert Hooke to design a grand Doric column in the classical style. Their plans called for a colossal column featuring a cantilevered stone staircase of 311 steps rising to an observation platform. The tower is topped by a drum and a copper urn from which flames shoot out, symbolizing the Great Fire that ravaged the city. Standing at 61 meters high (202 feet), "The Monument" is positioned precisely one block away from Pudding Lane, the site where the inferno first broke out.