Victoria Memorial, London Monument

Address: The Mall, London SW1A 2NN, United Kingdom (outside Buckingham Palace)

Website: https://www.royalparks.org.uk/

Hours: Public monument and surrounding gardens accessible year-round

Admission: Free (the memorial grounds); no admission fee

The Victoria Memorial is a large marble monument and public plaza located directly in front of Buckingham Palace in central London, built in the early 20th century to commemorate Queen Victoria. The ensemble includes a central statue of the queen, allegorical figures and a raised concourse that functions as a formal approach to the palace.

The site is commonly visited for its architectural sculpture and as a vantage point for palace facades and ceremonial events such as state processions and the Changing of the Guard. The memorial sits at the end of The Mall and forms a focal point in the line of ceremonial approach from Trafalgar Square.

Designed by sculptor Sir Thomas Brock and executed in the years following Queen Victoria’s death, the monument reflects Edwardian-era public commemorative practice and remains an established landmark adjacent to royal parks and official routes.

Geographically it occupies the traffic island and forecourt area immediately outside Buckingham Palace in the City of Westminster, London, bordered by The Mall, Buckingham Palace Road and the adjacent Green Park.

• Best viewpoint: The memorial sits on the central axis facing the Mall; it provides one of the clearest framed views of Buckingham Palace and royal processions from its raised plaza.
• Timing: Ceremonial events and state processions often pass the site, making late morning on ceremonial days a high-activity time for spectators and photographers.

The memorial is a two-minute walk from Buckingham Palace and a short stroll from Green Park and St. James’s Park tube stations (Piccadilly, Victoria lines). The Mall is pedestrian-friendly; taxis and buses serve nearby Victoria and Westminster hubs.

• Stand on the steps facing The Mall for the clearest, undisturbed view of the bronze Victoria and the palace beyond.
• Visit around the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace (usually 11:00am on designated days) for an atmosphere that spills over the memorial.
• Photograph early morning or late afternoon for better light on the gilded figures - midday makes the bronze look flat.