Apsley House (London)
Apsley House is a prominent building in the West End of London, and is a great aristocratic town house, having been the home of the Duke of Wellington.
It was given the alternative name No 1 London because it was the first house encountered when entering London from the West.
Apsley House dominates Hyde Park Corner, on the edge of Hyde Park and on the junction of Park Lane and Piccadilly.
The house was designed and built by Robert Adam between 1771 and 1778. The Duke of Wellington made it his London home after his victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
Wellington enlatged the house, adding the Waterloo Gallery by Benjamin Dean Wyatt, to house his own extensive collection of paintings.
The seventh Duke gave Apsley House to he nation in 1947, retaining apartments for family use.
It contains outstanding paintings, sculpture, porcelain, silver, furniture, medals and family memorabilia.
Apsley House is now in the care of English Heritage.