Australian War Memorial London - London - Places of Interest

If you're ever around Hyde Park Corner, where Park Lane, Piccadilly, Grosvenor Place, Knightsbridge and Constitution Hill meet, have a look at the roundabout area in the middle.

It’s dominated by Constitution Arch, the large pillared arch with the chariot on top that’s dedicated to the Duke of Wellington, but as you walk towards it from Hyde Park tube look in the right hand corner and you’ll see the Australian War Memorial commemorating Australians who have died fighting along side Britain in two world wars.


This is a new memorial that was only opened in 2003 on 11 November, Rememberance Sunday, by John Howard, Tony Blair and the Queen. It’s a very contemporary design, with elements maybe of the Vietnam wall in Washington and Berlin’s Holocaust memorial with a clean granite look, strong lines, names in small lettering, this time on a curved wall. It’s very effective and doesn’t set out to glorify any particular battle but all the people who’ve died in wars for Australia.

It’s made from 200 tonnes of Verde Laguna granite from Jerramungup, Western Australia and was designed by a team of Sydney architect’s. The curved wall is around 8ft high and on it are the names of 24,000 Australian towns where servicemen have come from and the names have been sandblasted in such a way that certain letters are cut densely enough to spell out the larger names of 47 battle sites where Australians have fought when viewed from further back. Parts are also a water feature, with a slow trickle of water from the top of the wall not a cascade.

It’s a very well made and thoughout piece of work and it seems to fit perfectly in its location. There are no large signs around advertising it and as the path cuts across the roundabout and the memorial is in a corner, it’s easy to miss.


I think this memorial has already become popular with Australian’s for Anzac Day celebrations and a New Zealand one is due to open on Rememberance Sunday 2006.
The nearest tube is Hyde Park Corner and if you are walking between Green Park and Hyde Park it’s right along your path.