Only members of the Royal Family and the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, are permitted to pass through the arch's central ceremonial gateway.
The arch was relocated from its original position in front of Buckingham Palace to accommodate the construction of the palace's East Front.
Three small rooms inside the arch served as a police station during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The marble was sourced from the quarries of Serravezza in Tuscany, Italy.
The arch was designed to be large enough for the state coach to pass through, though it was eventually deemed too narrow.
Marble Arch is a 19th-century white Carrara marble-faced triumphal arch designed by John Nash in 1827. Originally constructed as the state entrance to Buckingham Palace, it was moved to its current location at the junction of Park Lane and Oxford Street in 1851. The monument is modeled after the Arch of Constantine in Rome and the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel in Paris. It features intricate bas-reliefs and sculptures, some of which were originally commissioned for the palace but repurposed for the arch. The structure is situated on a traffic island, effectively acting as an ornamental gateway to the western edge of Hyde Park. It stands at the transition point between the busy commercial district of Oxford Street and the green space of Speakers' Corner.
The grassy vantage point inside the Hyde Park perimeter looking back towards the arch.
Visit during the early morning to avoid the heavy traffic noise and vehicle exhaust that surrounds the site.
Combine your visit with a walk into the adjacent Hyde Park to reach the historic Speakers' Corner nearby.
View the monument from the park-side perimeter for a less obstructed perspective away from the busy road intersections.
Do not attempt to cross the busy multi-lane traffic roundabout on foot; use only the designated pedestrian crossings and underground subways.
