London Replica Torched To Mark 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London Sunday Sep 04,2016

A massive wooden replica of 17th century London was torched Sunday  Sep 04,2016 on the River Thames to mark the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London, which paved the way for the building of the modern city.

Onlookers crowded along the river that winds through the British capital to watch as the 120-metre (394-foot) long wooden model was set alight.

Spectators snapped photographs on their smartphones as the flames devoured the replica buildings floating on the water.

The torching of the model of London -- as it stood on September 2, 1666 -- was executed by US "burn artist" David Best and live streamed online.

The Great Fire started in Thomas Farrinor's bakery on Pudding Lane and raged until September 5, destroying 80 percent of the mostly wooden, walled inner city.

An estimated 70,000 of the 80,000 residents were rendered homeless by the disaster. By the time the fire was extinguished a total of 13,200 houses, 87 parish churches and Saint Paul's Cathedral had been destroyed.