Wellington Arch

Built in the late 1820s to mark Britain's triumph over Napoleonic France, Decimus Burton's Wellington Arch was initially topped by an out-of-proportion equestrian statue of Wellington, but since 1912, Captain Adrian Jones's 38-tonne bronze 'Peace Descending on the Quadriga of War' has finished it with a flourish. Wellington Arch re-opens on May 9, 2012 with a permanent display about the history of the Arch and, on the top two floors, a new exhibition space, the Quadriga Gallery, dedicated to temporary exhibitions. The Quadriga Gallery programme explores the history and heritage of England. The schedule for 2012 is as follows: 'Blackpool: The Wonderland of the World' (Jul 4-Aug 27), 'The Ladies of Kenwood' (Sep 6-Oct 28), 'Egypt in England' (Nov 7-Jan 6, 2013). The Arch offers birds-eye views of Hyde Park, Green Park and the London skyline.