Apsley House

Apsley House is a grand townhouse on Hyde Park Corner in central London that has served as the London residence of the Dukes of Wellington since it was acquired in 1817. It is widely known as the family’s city house and for the collection assembled by the first Duke of Wellington.

The interior includes a sequence of state rooms and galleries displaying paintings, porcelain and military trophies. The most prominent show room is the Waterloo Gallery, created in the 1820s to display items associated with the Battle of Waterloo.

The house was constructed in the late 18th century and was purchased by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington in 1817. It was remodelled in the 1820s to provide larger reception spaces and gallery accommodation for the Wellington collection.

The building sits at Hyde Park Corner in the City of Westminster, adjacent to Wellington Arch and overlooking Hyde Park in central London; it is within walking distance of major central London transport links.

• Visiting tip: Best seen early in the day on quieter weekdays when guided rooms tours are easier to join and photography is less restricted.
• Collection: The house contains major works of art and military trophies associated with the 1st Duke of Wellington and his family collection.

What to See #

• Waterloo Gallery: A long formal gallery created in the 1820s to display trophies and mementos from the Battle of Waterloo; one of the house's principal show rooms and a focal point of the Wellington collection.
• State Rooms: A suite of historic reception and state rooms arranged around the main stair and corridor, used to display paintings, porcelain and military memorabilia assembled by the Dukes of Wellington.