Admiralty Arch

Located in the southwest corner of Trafalgar Square this arched ceremonial gateway is one of London's most famous landmarks. The Admiralty Arch takes its name from the nearby Royal Navy headquarters, though the Arch itself has no naval association.

Designed in 1910 by Sir Aston Webb (who also worked on Buckingham Palace and the Victoria and Albert Museum), it was meant to provide an elegant ceremonial passage from the hectic Trafalgar Square towards Buckingham Palace. Traffic does not pass through the massive central arch--that is only opened for state occasions. The small outer arches are for pedestrian traffic, and the remaining central arches for vehicles.

The Arch was originally commissioned by King Edward VII in memory of his mother, Queen Victoria.

Just in front of the arch is the Maritime Memorial, erected in 1914 to honor Captain James Cook, circumnavigator of the globe and explorer of the Pacific ocean.  He laid the foundations of the British Empire in Australia and New Zealand.