Intended
as a monument to the first Duke of Wellington, you'd
never know it looking at the monument today. When
it was erected in the early-1800's, the arch was topped
by a massive statue of Sir Arthur Wellsley riding
a horse created by Matthew Cotes. A trio of indignities
later, and this could be a monument to anyone. The
first came in 1882 when the monument was moved to
Hyde Park Corner. Previously it had been a ceremonial
entrance to Buckingham Palace. The second insult came
in 1912, when the Wellsley statue was taken down and
replaced by a quadriga by Adrian Jones, similar to
ones in cities like Berlin, and Saint Paul, Minnesota.
A third insult followed in the 1960's when traffic
was routed around the arch, leaving it stranded on
an island. Because of its location on Constitution
Hill, and the lack of a Wellsley statue, many people
think it's proper name is Constitution Arch. Inside
the arch are exhibits, and access to a balcony which
provides views of nearby London landmarks.
