Allies Sculpture
sit between churchill and roosevelt
A bronze bench in Mayfair where Churchill and Roosevelt sit chatting, with an empty seat between them for you.
Free to visit · Mayfair · Bond Street · W1S 2YF
Opening: Always open
Halfway along expensive New Bond Street, two wartime giants sit relaxed on a bronze bench in mid-conversation, Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt, casual and unbuttoned rather than heroic and stiff. The sculpture was unveiled in 1995 to mark fifty years since the end of the war and the alliance between their two nations.
The lovely touch is the gap between them. There is just enough room to sit down in the middle, so people perch between the two leaders for a photograph, which is exactly what the artist intended. It is free, friendly and a welcome bit of warmth among the luxury shopfronts.
Getting there: On New Bond Street near the Royal Arcade, a short walk from Bond Street station.
Best time to go: Any time, a quick free stop on a Mayfair stroll.
Insider tip: Sit in the space between the two figures for the classic photo, it is meant to be used. It is on the same street as plenty of free window-shopping, so fold it into a Mayfair wander.
Free things to do in London · London Free Guide