Wellington Arch

Opposite Apsley House in the little bit of green space being strangled by the Hyde Park Corner roundabout is England’s answer to the Arc de Triomphe (except this one commemorates France’s defeat – specifically, Napoleon’s at the hands of the Duke of Wellington). The neoclassical arch, erected in 1826, used to be topped by a disproportionately large equestrian statue of the duke, but this was removed in 1883 and replaced some years later with the biggest bronze sculpture in Britain, Peace Descending on the Quadriga of War (1912). For years part of the monument served as the capital’s smallest police station, but was restored and opened up to the public as a three-floor exhibition space, with exhibits on the blue plaque scheme of historical markers (on the 1st floor), the nearby Australian and New Zealand war memorials (2nd floor) and triumphal arches around the world (3rd floor). The open-air balconies (accessible by lift) afford unforgettable views of Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament.