Wellington Arch & Hyde Park Corner
a bronze chariot over the traffic
A great triumphal arch crowned by the largest bronze sculpture in Britain, ringed by war memorials, all free to view from the street.
Free to visit · Mayfair · Hyde Park Corner · W1J 7JZ
Opening: Exterior always open · interior charges
Marooned on a traffic island at Hyde Park Corner, Wellington Arch is one of London's grandest pieces of street furniture. On top sits the Angel of Peace descending on a four-horse chariot, the largest bronze sculpture in Britain, and you can stand right beneath it for free, even if the interior galleries charge.
The island around the arch is really an open-air gallery of remembrance, with the dramatic Royal Artillery Memorial, the Machine Gun Corps memorial with its statue of David, and memorials to the Commonwealth war dead all close together. Reading them is a moving and entirely free half hour at the corner of the park.
Getting there: On the island at Hyde Park Corner, reached by subways from the station.
Best time to go: Daytime to read the memorials, or dusk when the arch is lit.
Insider tip: Don't just look at the arch, walk the island to find the powerful Royal Artillery Memorial nearby. The subways from Hyde Park Corner station bring you right out among the monuments without crossing the traffic.
Free things to do in London · London Free Guide