Consider the gleam of white marble against the London sky. That’s the first thing most people notice about Marble Arch. But there is far more to this monument than meets the eye. Let me tell you its story.
The Marble Arch, a 19th-century triumphal arch, wasn’t always here. It was originally designed by John Nash in 1827. Nash intended it as the state entrance to Buckingham Palace’s courtyard. Imagine it standing proudly where the palace’s central balcony is today.
The arch is based on the Arch of Constantine in Rome. It is also similar to the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel in Paris. The Marble Arch is faced with Carrara marble. Embellishments were made from marble from quarries near Seravezza in Tuscany.
Construction started in 1827. But work stopped in 1830 after King George IV died. The new king, William IV, thought the costs were too high. Work restarted in 1832. Edward Blore supervised this time. He reduced Nash’s original design. He also left out some sculptures. The arch was finally completed in 1833.
Some unused sculptures ended up elsewhere. Parts of Westmacott’s frieze of Waterloo and the Nelson panels were used at Buckingham Palace. His victory statues and Rossi’s reliefs found a home at the National Gallery. The equestrian statue of George IV was placed in Trafalgar Square.
The white marble didn’t stay white for long. London’s polluted air soon took its toll. By 1847, it was described as discolored by smoke and damp. Someone said it looked like a huge sugar erection in a confectioner’s shop window.
Buckingham Palace was expanded in 1847. The Marble Arch was in the way. So, it was dismantled and rebuilt in its current location. This was near the northeast corner of Hyde Park at Cumberland Gate. The reconstruction was completed in 1851.
A popular myth says the arch was moved because Queen Victoria’s state coach couldn’t fit through it. But that is false. Queen Elizabeth II’s Gold State Coach passed under it during her coronation in 1953.
For many years, three small rooms inside the arch served as a police station. Officers from the Royal Parks Constabulary and later the Metropolitan Police were stationed here. One policeman was Samuel Parkes. He won the Victoria Cross in the Charge of the Light Brigade.
In 1900, the Marble Arch tube station opened. Today, it’s part of the Central line. The area around the arch is a major road junction. Oxford Street, Park Lane, Bayswater Road and Edgware Road all converge here.
The Odeon Marble Arch cinema was once located near the junction. It had London’s largest cinema screen. The Odeon closed in 2016 and was later demolished.
The arch also stands near the former site of the Tyburn gallows. This was a place of public execution from 1388 to 1793. In 2021, the Marble Arch Mound opened. It was a temporary viewing platform.
Today, the Marble Arch continues to stand. It is a landmark in London. It connects history, architecture and the everyday lives of Londoners. Take a closer look. Notice the details and remember its journey through time.