A brisk walk from Piccadilly to Hyde Park
Just look around you
I decided to take a walk from Piccadilly to Hyde Park to check a few of London’s hidden gems along the way. There are quite a few of them if you know where to look.
My first stop was at the wonderful shop, Berry Bros and Rudd.
Berry Brothers and Rudd is the oldest wine and spirits merchant in the UK. Its activities began in the late seventeenth century with the establishment of the shop at 3 St. James's Street in London in 1698. The company has been a supplier to the royal family since the reign of King George III. Berry Bros sell many wines and spirits under their own label, "Berry's Own Selection" but also to all countries in the world. They were one of the first wine merchants to create an online sales site in 1994. All the staff are very friendly and the interior is extremely user-friendly. Management have clearly given a lot of thought to the layout.
My next port of call was to try to find the Grave of Giro the dog. Giro was an Alsation owned by the German Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Leopold von Hoesch. The dog died in 1934 after chewing through an electric cable and was buried in the garden of the German Embassy at 9 Carlton House Terrace. Giro’s tombstone was moved in the 1960s to its present location after construction work. It has been described as the only British Nazi monument. Flowers are put on the Giro tombstone every February.
On the way I stopped at Buckingham Palace to admire the Victoria Memorial. Not really a hidden gem as it is clearly in plain sight but it is a beautiful work of art. Naturally there were a lot of people, it is a very 'touristy' place. Generally though I like this place, surrounded on most sides by parks. It pays tribute to Queen Victoria who reigned from 1837 until her death in 1901. She can be seen standing opposite Buckingham Palace, with the words "Victoria, Regina Imperatrix" inscribed just below her. To the north of this monument you will find the Angel of Justice and on the opposite side the Angel of Truth. To the west stands the statue of Charity, looking towards the palace. A golden statue of the Angel of Victory stands above the memorial. On either side of this statue sit two figures, one representing courage, the other constancy.
Almost completely exhausted from my investigations I went to the Wellington Arch. It is a triumphal arch located at Hyde Park Corner in central London and commissioned by King George IV in 1825 to commemorate British victories during the Napoleonic Wars. The Wellington Arch also served as a gateway to Constitution Hill creating a much-admired entrance to London from the west. Inside the arch, until 1992, visitors could find the second smallest police station in London (the smallest today being in Trafalgar Square). Then in 1999, English Heritage set up a museum there where the history of this building is exhibited on three floors.
All-in-all this was a marvellous little walk which completely absorbed me for several hours. I love to find out new stuff about London every day and today was an absolute bonus.
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