The History of Marble Arch, London
Marble Arch stands at Cumberland Gate in Hyde Park. The arch's surrounding environs fell into such disrepair that Londoners tended to overlook the structure. Now, renovations have revived its original beauty.
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Significance
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John Nash designed the arch in 1827 in honor of Britain's victories at the battles of Trafalgar in 1805 and Waterloo in 1815 during the Napoleonic Wars.
Function
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Nash intended Marble Arch to be used as the main entrance to Buckingham Palace. Only the royal family and the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery were allowed to pass through it. It was moved to Hyde Park in 1851.
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Features
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The Arch of Constantine in Rome served as the model for the monument, which is made of white Carrara marble. Marble Arch contains three rooms that the police used from the 1850s to 1950.
Misconceptions
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Many guidebooks claim that Marble Arch was moved because it was too narrow for the royal coaches, but travel guide writer Andrew Duncan refuted this. He noted that the gold state coach is 8 feet 3 inches wide, while Marble Arch is about 13 feet wide.
Considerations
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In June 2009, London refurbished the setting in which Marble Arch stands by repairing three fountains located across from it.
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