The Monument, a memorial built to commemorate the Great Fire of London in 1666, has reopened to the public following multi-million pound restoration project lasting 18 months.

A new viewing platform, balustrade and cage have been installed at the 202ft (62m)-high structure as part of the £4.5m scheme, as well as new telescopes and improved lighting. Work has also been carried out to clean The Monument's stonework and to repair the architectural sculptures, while the iconic golden orb at the top of the landmark structure has been regilded.

Situated at the junction of Monument Street and Fish Street Hill in the centre of London, the Monument was built between 1671 and 1677, and is the tallest isolated stone column in the world. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren and the city surveyor, Robert Hooke, the Monument's height is the distance between the structure and Pudding Lane, where it is believed the 1666 fire is believed to have started.

Ian Luder, Lord Mayor of the City of London, said: "Whether they come to admire Wren's work, or enjoy the panoramic views from the top, or the contrast between the old and the new in the city at street level, visitors have always been drawn to the Monument." Julian Harrap Architects, stonemasons Cathedral Works Organisation, engineers Hockley and Dawson, and quantity surveyors Davis Langdon, were all involved with the restoration scheme, led by the City of London Corporation.

Image: City of London Corporation/Sue Salton Photography