Destruction of St Paul's Cathedral Spire

Date: June 4, 1561 • Location: City of London, United Kingdom

The spire of Old St Paul's Cathedral in London was destroyed by fire.

Old St Paul's Cathedral was the cathedral of the City of London that, until the Great Fire of 1666, stood on the site of the present St Paul's Cathedral. Built in 1087 and from 1255 to 1314, it was dedicated to Paul the Apostle. The building was perhaps the fourth such St Paul's cathedral church at this site on Ludgate Hill, going back to the 7th century.