Apsley House is an amazing place to visit and was built in the 1770s for Lord Apsley. It is also nicknamed as “Number 1, London”, because it was the first house seen by visitors arriving in the city from the west. Arthur Wellesley bought it in 1817. He was the 1st Duke of Wellington and a war hero defeating Napoleon at Waterloo. He added a grand State Dining Room which was used every year to celebrate the defeat of Napoleon with other commanders. He also added the Waterloo Gallery which houses major paintings from 1500 to 1800 and include many Dutch paintings. One is a painting he commissioned of one of his Waterloo celebration dinners. The house is home to the Wellington Collection, a world-class assortment of art, silver, porcelain, and sculpture most notably a colossal statue of Napoleon by Antonio Canova (Napoleón as Mars the Peacemaker). After Wellington’s death, the house was opened as a museum though part of the house is still used as a residence by the Wellington family.
World War I memorial.
Wellington arch used to be a police station and has 4 narrow floors. It was interesting to look at all of the pictures. They even had a resident cat at the station.
