Marble Arch

I had to visit a site on Edgware road today so walked down to have a look at Marble Arch.

The Arch was designed by John Nash in 1828 using white Carrara-marble. Nash was responsible for much of the layout of Regency London including Clarence House, parts of Buckingham Palace, Carleton House Terrace and All Souls Church next to the BBC at Langham Place.

The Arch was the chief entrance to Buckingham Palace, but when the Palace was extended in 1851, the Arch was moved to its current site as an entrance to Hyde Park. By tradition, only senior members of the royal family, the King’s Troop and the Royal Horse Artillery are allowed to ride or drive through the Arch.



Next to Marble Arch is the tallest free-standing permanent bronze sculpture in London. The 33ft high bronze sculpture of a horse's head, which weighs 17 tonnes, was created specifically for the site by Equine sculptor Nic Fiddian-Green. It was unveiled on September 14, 2010.