Grundtriss der statt London, wie solche vor und nach dem brand anzuschen sampt dem newen model

This map was printed in Germany in 1670 and shows the area burnt by the Great Fire of London. At the bottom of the map is a grid-like street plan, which was one of the suggestions as to how London should be rebuilt. It has been suggested that this is Robert Hooke's design but all we know about his idea is that he wanted it to be a grid with the main streets in ‘an exact straight line’ and all other streets ‘turning out of them at right angles’. Though Hooke's plan was never built, he became one of the City surveyors. He worked with five men to survey the ruins, work on the new building regulations and make changes to the old streets. Due to the need to rebuild as quickly and cheaply as possible, it wasn't possible to create a new City of London on an idealised plan. Instead, new houses were built on what was mostly the old medieval street plan, though some roads were widened and two new streets were constructed.