Apsley House

Having lived my life in the UK for almost 60 years - 40 of which working in the arts - I'm totally surprised by the amount of artistic treasures on display here ... and why oh why I'd never visited. It has been on my to do list for years but never got done. If you like Spanish art - Velasquez and Goya in particular - you'll LOVE visiting here. Wonderful. If you're a painter then it's a must!

Loved it! A true representation of how an aristocrat lives. Wellington is a national hero because he defeated Napoleon, and his family actually still lives on the 3rd floor & uses the private gardens. Only the first two floors are open to the public.

Such a fascinating house. Informative and beautiful. Free audio guide is available and easy to use, as well as giving a raft of information. We certainly learnt a great deal about Wellington

Incredible collection of art and the architecture of the dining room/gallery is impressive! So cool to learn about the duke of wellington and understand more about him as a person. I went here on a whim and will be recommending it to friends/family!

Apsley House, located at Hyde Park Corner in London, is a historic Georgian building that was once the home of the Duke of Wellington, the renowned British military leader who defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. Also known as "Number 1, London" due to its prominent position as the first house encountered when entering London from the west, Apsley House remains one of the city's most significant landmarks. Built in the late 18th century, the house is famous for its neoclassical architecture, with its grand facade and elegant interiors showcasing the opulence of the period. The Duke of Wellington acquired the property in 1817, and it soon became both his residence and a repository for a remarkable collection of art and treasures. Today, Apsley House functions as a museum, managed by English Heritage, where visitors can explore rooms filled with paintings, sculptures, and artifacts, including works by Velázquez, Rubens, and Goya. The museum also houses an impressive collection of gifts and memorabilia presented to the Duke after his military victories. Apsley House stands as a monument to both British history and art, offering insight into the life of one of the country’s most celebrated figures and the grandeur of early 19th-century aristocratic life. It is a must-visit for history enthusiasts and art lovers alike.

I visited for free with the Art Pass trial. The museum probably wouldn't have come across my radar otherwise and I'd never heard of it before seeing it listed on the Art Pass website. I spent an interesting hour admiring the various gifts given to Wellington after the Battle of Waterloo, including a strange giant statue of Napoleon, naked but for a fig leaf. The exhibition in the basement provides useful background information on Wellington and a chance to see his hearing aid and boots.

Much to do thing in London City if you around. It's the London residence of Duke of Wellington and family. Even most part of the house is open to the public but still family is living there in its private apartment. The house is in wonderful piece of art and still in its original or restored condition from the early 19th century. It has many rooms and galleries. The museum is full of gifts presented to the Duke is remarkable. Duke had really artistic mind which has been shown through this house interior. Decoration and furniture is still from same time period. There is an audio guide available which gives you the full detailed, history and info as well as each room also has a short printed guide to its contents. Highly recommended.

A truly excellent visitor experience of Wellington's London house, made all the better by the delightful volunteers who staff it. Great exhibits of Britain's star general who, after Nelson had won at sea in 1805 and established the Royal Navy as the world's preeminent maritime force, followed up in 1815 with victory on land, finally securing peace in Europe & ushering a prolonged period of calm and prosperity. This house charts that journey.

Home of the "Iron Duke" of Wellington. Tons of paintings in the house. Interesting items that he collected. The huge statue of Napoleon at the staircase is interesting, to say the least. 2 for 1 train ticket deal, so I only paid £10 for me and my wife to enter.

The Apsley House has been the home for the Dukes of Wellington. The original occupant was Lord Apsley but he sold the house and since then, the Dukes have occupied it. Now these days, it just a house museum. If you have the London Pass, entrance to the Apsley House is already paid for. But I think it is cheap to come in anyway so if you're in the area, you should definitely stop by. Photography is not allowed. An audio guide is included since it does help out with the history of each room and its paintings. Lots of rooms in this house with very high ceilings filled with dozens and dozens of paintings, relics, Victorian style furniture and tables. It's the type of house where you would want to take off your shoes or put up the floor runners because you don't want to have the slightest piece of dirt in the rooms. It's a very nice and maintained house. They have hundreds and hundreds of parties here throughout the years and it looks like it's brand new.

Also known as Apsley House, this mansion on the southeast corner of Hyde Park has the ultimate address: #1 London. It was given to the Duke of Wellington as a reward for beating Napoleon at Waterloo - a feat that made him the most famous man in Europe! Though it is one of the less-visited museums, Apsley House offers one of the best palace experiences. Upon entering, you'll be greeted by an 11-foot marble statue of a nearly naked Napoleon. Downstairs includes tons of goodies from the Duke's life, including his beloved and now widely popular Wellington boots (aka "wellies"!). The real treasure, however, can be found upstairs, where the Duke's many paintings are on prominent display surrounded by a rich, lush interior. £5.50 for entry, and the included audioguide is quite nice.

Also known as 'Number One London' (the popular name for Apsley House), this has to be one of the most interesting visitor attractions in London. Home to the Duke of Wellington after his victory over Napoleon at Waterloo, the interior of the house has changed very little since the days of the Iron Duke. It is still home to the 8th Duke of Wellington who still uses part of the building as a part-time residence. It is allegedly the only preserved example of an English aristocratic town house from its period. In 1807 the house was purchased by Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquis Wellesley, the elder brother of Sir Arthur Wellesley, but in 1817 financial difficulties forced him to sell it to his famous brother, by then the Duke of Wellington, who needed a London base from which to pursue his new career in politics. The magnificent collection of 200 paintings includes 83 which were acquired by the first Duke after the Battle of Vitoria in 1813, the paintings were in Joseph Bonaparte's baggage train. The paintings were from the Spanish royal collection and were given to Wellington by King Ferdinand VII of Spain in recognition of his victories in Spain against the French. The gallery, (reportedly one of the finest art collections in London), includes paintings by Velazquez and Rubens as well as a wonderful collection of silver and porcelain, with pride of place going to a massive nude statue of Napoleon. At £6.90 to get in (adults), it is very good value for money. I spent approximately 2.5 hours in the house but could easily have doubled that if I had spent more time viewing the large amount of amazing art work that was on display. The electronic guided tour on hand held devices is a must (and is at no extra cost).

Apsley House is the stunning residence of the Duke of Wellington. The house is located just inside Hyde Park, on the west end of Picadilly. When it was built, it had the great address of Number One London. The rooms are beautiful, and very luxurious---gorgeous decoration in each of the rooms open to the public. (Wellington's descendants still live here, so the entire house is not open to the public.) This is the grandest house I've visited in London. If you're looking for a palace experience without leaving London, Apsley House is a good choice. In addition to the beautiful rooms, Apsley House has a very extensive art collection, as well as items related to the Duke himself (swords, plate, etc.) The Duke of Wellington was rock star famous, and his home fits that level of accomplishment and fame. I was somewhat suprised the house didn't have more visitors: I was there on a Saturday, and there were handfuls of visitors but no crowds. I liked that, though: the house is quiet and a nice escape from the bustle of Hyde Park and Picadilly. Definitely worth a visit.

I was checking an email on my phone, when a rude staff interrupted me, reminding me "not to take photos." This is ridiculously disrespectful. Most staff seem to suspect that normal people would intentionally take photos - strange enough. Only recommended if you visit for free.

Apsley House is one fo the most palatial mansion and is still the residence of Wellington's descendents. Inside you can view many aspects of his life and have alook at his amazing art collection.

Surprisingly, this was one of my favorite places during our week in England. We only went because we could get two for one with our train tickets, but it was a fascinating home with an excellent audio tour and a great talk by the docent in the dining room. We happened to get there right at the time he was giving a talk, but we would plan ahead next time to catch it again. Compared to the tourist-swamped main attractions, this was almost empty, so we had plenty of time to look at everything and get up close. Beautiful architecture, lots of amazing fine art, and a ton of history, all in one. I'd just read Georgette Heyer's An Infamous Army about Waterloo, so this was right up my alley. Definitely an underrated treasure in London!

Apsley House is a beautiful old residence right next to Hyde Park and the Wellington Arch. Home to the Duke of Wellington, it is also called Number 1 London as it is essentially the first house you would see in London after entering via the Knightsbridge toll gate. It is an English Heritage property, but you don't need to be an EH member to enter. The most striking thing I remember is the 6 foot statue of Napoleon gifted to the Duke after the battle of Waterloo, that Wellington had placed at the foot of the stairs, so that he could greet his former enemy every morning as he came down for breakfast! It's an imposing building with a 200 year chequered history - the windows in the long gallery had to be boarded up during riots as they had been broken so often that the owners found them too expensive to replace!

This one is difficult to mi but many do, all the same. It's right on Hyde Park corner, by marble arch and isn't a particularly attractive but obviously holds some importance as a national trust building.