Okapi

Commonwealth Memorial Gates

City of Westminster · 0.6 miles

Situated at the Hyde Park Corner end of Constitution Hill, the Commonwealth Memorial Gates form a stone monument on the edge of the City of Westminster. The structure honours the volunteers from the Indian sub-continent, Africa and the Caribbean who served Britain in both World Wars, a dedication recorded on the main inscription that mentions five million such volunteers. A shorter dedication, quoting Nigerian poet Ben Okri, reads “Our Future is Greater Than Our Past”. Two stone slabs flank the pavilion on the Green Park side, each listing the principal campaigns in which Imperial forces fought, from West Africa and Gallipoli in the First World War to Burma, Malaya and the Dutch East Indies in the Second. The memorial’s pillars are cut from Portland stone and surmounted by a bronze urn fitted with gas flames, which are ignited on occasions such as Remembrance Sunday, Armistice Day and Commonwealth Day. A modest domed pavilion houses a ceiling bearing the names of 74 individuals from the commemorated regions who received the George Cross or Victoria Cross, divided between the two conflicts. Planning was overseen by the Memorial Gates Trust, with Prince Charles as inaugural patron and a board that included Lord Inge and Baroness Flather. Construction began on 1 August 2001, the first stone laid by the Queen Mother, and the gates were formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 6 November 2002, noted as the Golden Jubilee year of her reign. The site is a listed historic feature and can be approached from Constitution Hill, adjacent to the entrance of Hyde Park.

Wellington Monument

City of Westminster · 0.6 miles

The Wellington Monument is a statue representing Achilles erected as a memorial to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, and his victories in the Peninsular War and the latter stages of the Napoleonic Wars. It is sited at the south-western end of Park Lane in London, and was inaugurated on 18 June 1822. Its total height, including the sculpture, base and the mound on which it stands, is 36 feet (11 m).

Buckingham Palace

Victoria · 0.6 miles

A prominent landmark in the City of Westminster, Buckingham Palace stands opposite Victoria and is recorded by Historic England as a heritage-listed palace. Designed in stages by John Nash, Edward Blore and later Aston Webb, the building is recognised as the official residence and administrative headquarters of the United Kingdom’s monarch. Opening times are published on the palace’s listing, allowing visitors to plan a visit to the publicly accessible areas. The state rooms, which host official entertaining, are open each year for most of the summer and on selected days in winter and spring. Within the public programme, the balcony on the East Front provides a view of the traditional royal appearances, while the King’s Gallery, created after a wartime bomb destroyed the chapel, displays works from the Royal Collection. The surrounding garden, the largest private garden in London, forms part of the experience, and the interior retains early-19th-century scagliola panels, Belle Époque colour schemes and Chinese-regency furnishings transferred from other royal residences. Originally built as Buckingham House for the Duke of Buckingham and Normanby in 1703, the core structure became a royal property when George III purchased it in 1761 for Queen Charlotte. Substantial enlargement by Nash and Blore in the early 1800s added three wings around a central courtyard, and the palace assumed its present role as the monarch’s London residence on Queen Victoria’s accession in June 1837. Subsequent extensions, including the East Front, were completed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, shaping the palace that continues to serve both ceremonial and administrative functions.

Lord Byron

City of Westminster · 0.6 miles

A bronze figure of the Romantic poet stands at Hyde Park Corner, accompanied by his Landseer dog Boatswain. Designed by Richard Claude Belt, the statue rests on a marble plinth that was presented by the people of Greece in recognition of Byron’s involvement in the Greek War of Independence. The monument carries a Grade II listing and serves as a memorial to the writer. The poet is shown in a meditative pose, though the likeness has been judged unfavourable and the work is occasionally cited as the “worst statue in London”. Commemoration of Byron proved contentious after his death; a burial in Westminster Abbey was denied by Dean Ireland, and it was not until 1875, when Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli advocated for a tribute, that the memorial was commissioned. Dispute also arose over the extent of Belt’s contribution, prompting a libel action after a Vanity Fair article alleged uncredited work by a junior studio member. The Byron Society proposed relocating the figure from its island on Park Lane into Hyde Park in 2024, and by August 2026 the statue had been installed at its present position within the park. Situated in the City of Westminster, the monument is reachable on foot from the surrounding streets and forms part of the public landscape of Hyde Park Corner.

Victoria Memorial

Victoria · 0.6 miles

At the far end of The Mall in London a large marble and bronze monument marks the southern approach to Buckingham Palace. Designed by Sir Aston Webb and sculpted by Sir Thomas Brock, the structure consists of a central pylon of Pentelic marble surrounded by statues in Lasa marble and gilt bronze, forming a circle about 32 metres in diameter. Weighing roughly 2 300 tonnes, the memorial dominates the forecourt and is listed at Grade I, reflecting its significance as a historic feature. Visitors can view the intricate iconography from the surrounding pavement, although wheelchair access is limited. The memorial originated from a parliamentary committee set up after Queen Victoria’s death, with King Edward VII prompting the project in early 1901. After a design competition, Sir Aston Webb was appointed architect and Sir Thomas Brock chosen as sculptor. Funding arrived from across the British Empire, including notable contributions from Australia and New Zealand, allowing construction to begin in the first decade of the 20th century. Although the lower part was revealed to the public in 1909, the full monument was formally unveiled on 16 May 1911 in a ceremony attended by King George V and other dignitaries. Since its dedication the site has served as a focal point for national celebrations, providing a platform for the 2012 Diamond Jubilee concert and featuring in the 2012 Golden Jubilee fireworks display. The Victoria Memorial remains a prominent landmark at the junction of The Mall, readily reachable on foot from the surrounding city centre.

7 July Memorial

City of Westminster · 0.6 miles

The 7 July Memorial is a permanent memorial to the 52 victims of the 7 July 2005 London bombings. It is located on the east side of Hyde Park, between Lover's Walk and Park Lane, close to Curzon Gate and about 150 metres (490 ft) north of the monumental statue of Achilles. A second memorial was dedicated at Tavistock Square in 2018.