Wellington Arch stands on a traffic island at Hyde Park Corner, a grand triumphal arch built in the 1820s to mark Britain's victories in the Napoleonic Wars. Crowned by the Angel of Peace descending on the chariot of war, the largest bronze sculpture in Europe, it is one of central London's most stately and overlooked monuments.
Why visit
Beyond its sheer presence, the arch is open to visitors and rewards the climb with balconies that look out over Hyde Park, Green Park and the approach to Buckingham Palace, a vantage point few tourists know about.
What to see
Inside, displays tell the story of the arch and London's memorials, while the external balconies offer the views. The surrounding Hyde Park Corner is dense with monuments, including the nearby memorials to the armed services.
Visiting tips
The arch is ticketed and run by English Heritage, with combined tickets sometimes available for nearby Apsley House. Hyde Park Corner Tube (Piccadilly line) brings you out alongside it, between Hyde Park and Belgravia.
