To run the government and military during World War II, Prime Minister Winston Churchill needed a place safe from German bombing raids. He found that place in a sprawling underground complex today known as the Churchill War Rooms. The complex was operational starting Aug. 27, 1939, a week before Great Britain declared war on Germany. The museum complex offers an incredible, one-of-a-kind look at Winston Churchill and England’s approach to World War II. The complex is home to meeting rooms, bedrooms and map rooms, where the war’s progress was plotted and monitored.
The Household Cavalry Museum preserves and interprets the history of the Regiments of the Household Cavalry, which dates back more than 350 years. The museum opened in June 2007 in the historic Horse Guards building. The museum includes working stables in addition to an extensive collection of historical artifacts.
Hyde Park is a historic Grade I-listed urban park in Westminster, Greater London, spanning more than 350 acres. This park and green space stretches from Kensington Palace to St James’s Park and, along with Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Hyde Park Corner, Green Park, and Buckingham Palace, forms a chain of greenspace. It is divided by the Serpentine and the Long Water lakes. Henry VIII established the park in 1536, taking the land from Westminster Abbey and using it as a hunting ground. It opened publicly in 1637 and quickly became popular, particularly for May Day parades. In the early 18th century, Queen Caroline directed major improvements to the park. During this time, the park was frequently used for duels, particularly by members of the nobility.
The 14th century Jewel Tower was one part of the royal Palace of Westminster. The edifice was built between 1365 and 1366 to house the personal treasure of Edward III.
Located in central London between The Mall and Carlton Gardens, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Memorial is a tribute to King George VI and his spouse, Queen Elizabeth. The memorial was completed in 2009 and features a Grade II listed statue of George VI created by William McMillan and unveiled by his daughter Queen Elizabeth II in 1955. The updated memorial includes a statue of the Queen Mother by Philip Jackson, a relief sculpture by Paul Day and an architectural setting by Donald Buttress and Donald Insall. Queen Elizabeth II unveiled the updated memorial in 2009.
London’s extensive subway system is famous the world over. But, the modern system took decades to develop. This museum, established in 1980 and located in a former flower shop in Covent Garden, showcases the history of transport from horse-drawn carriages to today’s subway system. Its holdings include an impressive collection of vehicles and artifacts used in developing London’s extensive transit system. Among the items on display is Metropolitan Railway steam locomotive No. 23. This engine is one of two surviving steam locomotives from the Metropolitan Railway, the company that built the first passenger-carrying underground railway in the world.
The Marble Arch, a magnificent triumphal arch made of white marble, is located in London, England. John Nash designed it in 1827 as the entrance to Buckingham Palace’s cour d’honneur. The arch was originally located near the palace’s central projection, which contains the famous balcony. However, Decimus Burton, an architect and urban planner once John Nash’s student, relocated the arch to its present location in 1851, near the northeast corner of Hyde Park. This ensured that Buckingham Palace’s expansion could continue without any obstructions. The region surrounding the arch, including the southern portion of Edgware Road and the underground station, is named after it. It’s important to note that the Westminster City Council maintains the arch as it is not part of the Royal Parks.
The National Gallery dates to 1824 when the British government bought 38 paintings from the heirs of John Julius Angerstein, a London businessman. Today, the museum, located in Trafalgar Square, is home to more than 2,300 works of art, some dating to the mid-13th century. Some critics point out the museum’s collection is smaller when compared to other European national galleries.
The Royal Mews is the home of the stables, carriage house and garage of the British Royal Family. The Royal Mews is in the grounds of Buckingham Palace, to the south of Buckingham Palace Gardens, near Grosvenor Place. George III moved some of his day-to-day horses and carriages to the grounds of Buckingham House in the 1760s.
Watching the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace is a tradition for visitors to London. For those wanting to learn more about the guards, a visit to The Guards Museum is a must. The museum tells the story of the five regiments of Foot Guards namely Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards. The museum, which opened in 1988 in Wellington Barracks on Birdcage Walk near Buckingham Palace, chronicles the five regiments’ history from the 17th century to modern times. The museum’s exhibits include examples of Guards uniforms, weapons and various artifacts that interpret the history of the regiments and what being a soldier in the Guards is all about.
Wellington Arch in London’s Hyde Park Corner was built between 1826 and 1830 and moved to its present location in 1883-83. The Arch, initially known as the Green Park Arch and is also known as the Constitution Arch, was at one time the entrance to Buckingham Palace. It later became a victory arch for Wellington’s defeat of Napoleon. The structure initially supported a colossal equestrian statue of the 1st Duke of Wellington by Matthew Cotes Wyatt. Since 1912, a bronze “Quadriga,” an ancient four-horse chariot, by Adrian Jones has sat atop the arch.
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, better known as Westminster Abbey, was built in the 10th century. British monarchs have held their coronations at Westminster Abbey since 1066. Among the artifacts on display is King Edward’s Chair (or St Edward’s Chair), the throne on which English and British sovereigns have been seated when crowned and has been used at every coronation since 1308. The Abbey has been the site of at least 16 royal weddings since King Henry I married Matilda of Scotland on Nov. 11, 1100.
The bronze sculpture of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, created by Ivor Roberts-Jones, stands tall in London’s Parliament Square. Churchill selected the location in the 1950s. “That is where my statue will go,” Churchill said, drawing a circle in the northeast corner after Minister of Works David Eccles showed him plans for Parliament Square’s redevelopment. The statue was unveiled in 1973 by his wife, Clementine, Baroness Spencer-Churchill. Current and former Prime Ministers attended the ceremony, and Queen Elizabeth II delivered a speech. The statue is one of 12 located around Parliament Square, with the majority paying homage to prominent statesmen.