Originally built as The Theatre, the Globe was one of the first purpose-built theatres in England. It was initially used by the Lord Chamberlain's Men, a company of actors that included William Shakespeare, who became the company's principal playwright. The Globe was so named because it was topped by a statue of Hercules holding the world, or globe, in his hand.
The Globe was destroyed by fire in 1613 during a performance of Henry VIII when a cannon misfired and set fire to the thatched roof. It was rebuilt in 1614 and continued to operate until 1642, when all London theatres were closed by order of the Puritan government.
In the 20th century, a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, known as Shakespeare's Globe, was built in 1997 on the south bank of the Thames, near its original location. This modern theatre is a faithful reconstruction of the original Globe and is used for performances of Shakespeare's plays.