It was a catastrophe the likes of which London had never seen, starting when a fire broke out in an East End bakery in July 1666. The fire quickly spread and went on to burn for days, engulfing swatches of the city and claiming thousands of homes. Now gamers are being offered a first person view of The Great Fire of London, thanks to a number of specially made maps which can be played in the hit game Minecraft. The Museum of London has produced the Minecraft maps to mark 350 years since the blaze broke out. Players can navigate the burning city through a series of mini games.

From Big Ben to Battersea Power Station, London's landmarks have been painstakingly recreated using tiny virtual bricks in Minecraft. Now, one of the capital's most disastrous events – the Great Fire of London – is about to be put on the pixelated map. The historic blaze of 1666, which gutted the medieval part of the city 350 years ago, will be portrayed using three different maps within the video game. The historic blaze of 1666, which gutted the medieval part of the city 350 years ago, will be portrayed using three different maps within the video game, Minecraft. Minecraft was created in 2009.

The tragic event will be portrayed through three different maps; the first, available for free on July 29th, will show the city as it stood before the fire, complete with iconic landmarks such as London Bridge and St Paul's Cathedral. Audio clips will be scattered throughout the world, containing some explanations (the long, dry summer and the city's wooden houses, for instance) for why the inferno spread so quickly. The second, to be released in September, will put you in the middle of the crisis and include basic mini-games about saving residents and fighting the flames. You'll also be able to make "crucial decisions" by talking to historical figures. The third, set for February next year, will allow players to rebuild London using the architectural plans drawn up by Christopher Wren, John Evelyn and others.