A sculpture of 17th-century London, England, set on barges in the Thames River is set ablaze to mark the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London on September 4. (Will Oliver/EPA)

A large wooden model of London was set ablaze Sunday to mark the anniversary of the Great Fire of London, which ripped through the British city 350 years ago.

The 390-foot-long model was set on fire Sunday night on the River Thames (pronounced “tems”), producing spectacular flames against the backdrop of the city skyline.

The burning was the finale of a festival marking the epic four-day fire that destroyed much of the walled city in 1666. At the time, many buildings were made of wood, which had dried out during a drought that summer. More than 13,000 houses and businesses were destroyed. The official death toll was only six, but it is believed that many more people died as a result of the fire.

The anniversary observance was part of a collaboration between a British art-event organization and American sculptor David Best, who designed the model. The six-day retelling of the story of the Great Fire included art installations, performances, guided tours and lectures.

— Wire and staff reports

The sculpture, shown before the fire, was designed by American artist David Best. Its lighting was the finale of festivities marking the Great Fire, which destroyed more than 13,000 buildings. (Daniel Leal-Olivas/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)