London Travel Guide > Attractions > Historic Buildings > Apsley House

Apsley House

The London home of the Duke of Wellington sits opposite the entrance to Hyde Park. Commonly known as No.1 London, Apsley House was built between 1781-1787 by neo-classical architect Robert Adam for Baron Apsley, later the second Earl Bathurst. The prominent location of the house at the entrance to Hyde Park, and just outside the toll gates at Knightsbridge, led to the popular moniker "#1 London", though there is no such official designation.

Apsley House was originally built of red brick, to a 5 bay design. In 1807 the house was purchased by Marquess Wellesley, elder brother to Arthur Wellesley, but financial difficulties forced the Marquess to sell Apsley to his more famous sibling in 1817, two years after the latter's victory over Napoleon at Waterloo.

Wellington nominated architect Benjamin Wyatt to carry our restorations at Apsley, and create a residence worthy of housing the Duke's growing art collection - and also serve as a London base for his sizeable political ambitions. Wyatt expanded Apsley by two bays, and built the Waterloo Gallery for the Duke's paintings. He also faced the red brick with more fashionable Bath stone, and introduced his own version of French style to the interior.

Successive generations of the Dukes pf Wellington lived at Apsley until the house was finally gifted to the nation in 1947. Today, English heritage maintains the house, and offers both guided and unguided tours.

The ground floor houses the grand state rooms, and a broad staircase leads to the first floor, where smaller, comparatively mote intimate rooms can be seen. The Duke's own relatively simply quarters are on the third floor. Apsley was never meant to be a real family home, indeed the Duke's wife and children lived primarily at his estate of Stratfield Saye. Rather, Apsley was meant to serve as a grand showcase for the Duke in London; a place to meet and greet the most powerful people of his day.

Apsley has been extensively restored with an eye to making it look as much as possible as it was in the Duke of Wellington's day.Even the arrangement of pictures on the walls has been reproduced, using old watercolour paintings as guides.

The Collection
The first Duke of Wellington possessed a collection of art and fine furnishings perhaps unrivalled by any contemporary. And he didn't have to pay for all of it, either! After the Duke's victory over Napoleon at Waterloo, grateful nations and private citizens showered Wellington with gifts of thanks, including a fine Sevres porcelain service from Louis XVIII of France, and superlative Portuguese silver.

There are also 200 paintings from the royal collection of the Kings of Spain that Wellington recovered from Joseph Bonaparte after the Battle of Vitoria in 1813. After King Ferdinand VII was reinstated as monarch, he asked Wellington to keep the paintings as a gift of thanks. The Duke, no fool he, agreed. Among these paintings are works by Goya, Velasquez, Correggio, and Rubens.

Front and centre upon entering Apsley is Antonio Canova's huge statue of Napoleon, portrayed as an ancient Greek athlete. The sword carried by Wellington at Waterloo is on display in the Plate and china Room, as well as the sword of his great foe Napoleon.

Apsley House holds the distinction of being voted Best Small Visitor Attraction by the London Tourist Board (2001).

Admission
Fee charged. English Heritage members free. An audio guide is included in the price of admission.
Guided Tours are available if booked in advance

Location
Apsley House
Wellington Museum
Hyde Park Corner
149 Piccadilly, W1J 7NT
Tel 020 7495 8525
Hyde Park Corner
Location map