After the Napoleonic wars, Britain was in a mood to celebrate. And probably to gloat a little bit. In the 1820s the way to do that was to build huge statues and monuments which were often copied from our ones in Roma, it must be said.

The architect of this one, Decimus Burton (his first name possibly inclined him towards a Roman revival style) was inspired by the Arch of Titus near the Colosseum. It was intended to form a pair with the Marble Arch, which was originally sited in front of Buckingham Palace. (Though as we shall see shortly, the latter has been relocated way up to the north.)

The original arch supported a large equestrian statue of the Duke of Wellington, from which the Arch received its name. At least ONE of its names, since it is also known as Constitution Arch, presumably from its proximity to Constitution Hill. It retains a connection to Wellington by being located in the park opposite Apsley House, Wellington's seat of power in London which we saw in a previous shot.

The statue of Wellington was removed in the 1880s when the Arch itself had to be relocated. Apparently this was advocated by a distant relative of Burton's who felt that the statue of Wellington was disproportionate for the Arch. It was therefore replaced by the sculpture that we see now, that of Victoria (Nike) riding in a quadriga (a chariot pulled by 4 horses) and holding a laurel wreath of victory above.

Looking through the Arch we can see the Royal Artillery Memorial beyond.