Marble Arch
Marble Arch
3.5
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The area
Neighborhood: Marylebone
Marylebone offers what so many London neighborhoods cannot: a village feel coupled with urban convenience. Much of its success rests in its location. Wedged between the northeastern corner of Hyde Park and the southern end of Regent's Park and with a number of Tube stations within easy reach, Marylebone is as pedestrian friendly as Central London gets. The bustling shopping mecca of Oxford Street separates it from Soho and Mayfair, exclusive Regent Street marks its border with Fitzrovia, and cosmopolitan Edgware Road serves as its western edge. Within this enviably situated quarter are an array of outstanding restaurants (from Michelin darlings to down and dirty cheeseburgers), an impressive assortment of independently owned shops, and some of the city's quietest and most pleasant nooks, crannies and cobbled lanes.
How to get there
- Marble Arch • 1 min walk
- Bond St • 9 min walk
Best nearby
Restaurants
10,000 within 3 miles
Attractions
2,270 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- BluebellplasnewyddCardiff, United Kingdom1,973 contributionsCurate's eggThis is run by English Heritage and probably only worth entering if you are a member. It is rather tedious to walk to as it is on the centre of one of the busiest traffic islands in London. There are a number of monuments and sculpture around it including the Duke of Wellington.. The volunteer staff are very personable and there is a lift up to the top balconies. Here you have views along Constitution Hill, Park Lane and Piccadilly. Even in winter with no foliage you cannot see Buckingham Palace. The small sized floors have exhibitions of paintings and war memorabilia. Time your journey for the morning parade of the Horseguards and this is probably the main attraction but you don't have to enter to see them.Visited January 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten January 11, 2024
- JannerblokePlymouth, United Kingdom13,204 contributionsOne of capital’s best know gathering places.Have visited this corner of Hyde Park several times over the years, both right beside and around the arch, and also closeby at Speakers Corner. We hadn’t realised how MA is evidently regarded as a significant space to gather to celebrate, commemorate, campaign, protest or even just pause during part way along a parade. MA has all the character and ambience needed. We experienced just such an event a fortnight ago.Visited February 2024Traveled with friendsWritten February 27, 2024
- therichastillStevenage, United Kingdom2,948 contributionsUnder RestorationMarble Arch is an iconic structure at the end of Oxford Street where it meets Edgware Road and Park Lane. It is familiar to the Arc De Triomphe in Paris. I visited in May 2024 and it was behind sheeting so I guess it is under restoration at the moment.Visited May 2024Traveled soloWritten May 17, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
3.5
125 reviews
Excellent
23
Very good
47
Average
36
Poor
5
Terrible
14
Bear
York, UK5 contributions
Sep 2021 • Family
What a eyesore!! The metal gates are not nice to look at, the view itself is so poor as the trees from the park block a lot of view, can barely see the city (only one corner) wouldn’t go back If it was still free let alone pay to go there. Sadiq you have well and truly failed on this, only go if you like getting angry about the government wasting money. It’s absolutely rubbish not worth the 10mins of my life I wasted going there. No decent photo opportunities because of the high metal gates, looks awful it really does. Can’t believe it costs millions to build what looks like a building site not attractive in the slightest whoever’s idea this was should reimburse the people of London. My 5year old came up with so so many other ways an attraction like this could have been built. You’d be better off going to a multi storey car park.
Written September 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
William W
Croydon, UK8 contributions
Aug 2021
I want to speak up for the much maligned Marble Arch Mound. Yes, it cost a lot of money, arguably too much, but it is a wonderful quirky bit of fun and silliness, and beautifully eccentric. God knows we need a bit of silliness after all we've been through. It is true that the views, compared to the Eye or the Shard are a bit underwhelming but my favourite parts were the descent, which allows you to examine the construction and engineering of the build, and the amazing Sound & Light exhibition when you're back on the ground. I wish people would just stop whinging about how bad it is and simply enjoy it for what it is - it's free, for goodness' sake!!! If you love days out in London - go and see it while it's still there; don't listen to the moaners and groaners. There are plenty of pubs, parks and restaurants nearby. In my opinion, anyone who considers it a waste of time is sadly lacking in imagination as well as that famous British characteristic of being a bit daft!
Written September 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Julie B
Oxford11 contributions
Aug 2021 • Solo
The Marble Arch Mound visitor attraction is frankly an embarrassment for London. Luckily I did not pay but if I had I think I may well have asked for my money back. The view of the mound upon approaching it is unsightly. Literally a lump of earth with patches of grass. Flowers would help. The walk up is pretty easy but being able to see through the steel steps into the empty - apart from metal supports - interior is unattractive and slightly disconcerting. The view from the top is okay but not spectacular. What was Westminster Council thinking when they spent £6 million building this so called visitor attraction. It serves no purpose and is a waste of tax payers money. Complete and utter waste of time.
Written August 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
George S
1 contribution
Aug 2021
Let's face it, marble arch itself is not all that great. To put it simply, it is an arch, albeit one of marble. I have spent all too many days out in our great capital city travelling to see, with childlike enthusiasm, this marble monolith, only to be subtly disappointed when it transpires to be nothing more than the Arc de Triomphe's unimpressive cousin. Today, its only a landmark inasmuch as its a mark upon the land that you pass on the way to somewhere better. Perhaps in the cultural capital of the world, this sorry arch is simply overshadowed by more magnificent creations, but this does not make it up to the dispirited tourist, or give me back my childhood dreams of marvelling at its grandiosity, as once on the Palatine Hill, Constantine gazed upon his namesake arch.
Since ancient times, arches have been used to celebrate victorious armies and commanders. With today's rightful rejection of militaristic jingoist culture and all that it entails, the mound means something more than a hilarious failure of local government. The contrast between the natural imagery of this artificial hill and an imperial Victorian vision is stark; perhaps it was not the intention of Westminster City Council to challenge the white stone empire, but to the viewer, it is an important opportunity for reflection in this loud, busy city, that's always coming to terms with its history.
The mound is an improvement on the arch. For the first time, visitors can interact with this corner of London; you can climb, view, smell, feel, and experience the city in a whole new way. Its also free of charge, so why not?
Since ancient times, arches have been used to celebrate victorious armies and commanders. With today's rightful rejection of militaristic jingoist culture and all that it entails, the mound means something more than a hilarious failure of local government. The contrast between the natural imagery of this artificial hill and an imperial Victorian vision is stark; perhaps it was not the intention of Westminster City Council to challenge the white stone empire, but to the viewer, it is an important opportunity for reflection in this loud, busy city, that's always coming to terms with its history.
The mound is an improvement on the arch. For the first time, visitors can interact with this corner of London; you can climb, view, smell, feel, and experience the city in a whole new way. Its also free of charge, so why not?
Written August 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nigel Bostock
London, UK270 contributions
Aug 2021 • Solo
The views from this scaffold mound are nothing to write home about, you can see a lot of trees in Hyde Park but not a lot else although you can pick out the tops of some of London’s famous tall structures. They have not fitted out the interior space which was part of the original proposal. It might have pleased foreign tourists but there are none around at the moment! However, it was free to go up during August so can’t complain too much (would certainly not have paid to go up it).
Don’t miss the Banksy which is painted on a wall by the portaloos.
Allow about 15 minutes.
Don’t miss the Banksy which is painted on a wall by the portaloos.
Allow about 15 minutes.
Written August 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravelingSoccerLoon
Saint Paul, MN5,041 contributions
Sep 2022 • Couples
Historically important and beautiful arch designed by John Nash that once was the main entrance to Buckingham Palace and was relocated to its current location in 1851. It now sits in the middle of a busy traffic circle and you can’t miss it if you are riding on a double decker bus anywhere in this part of town. I wouldn’t make a special effort to see it unless you are nearby. Average rating only because London is filled with so many other more impressive and important sites.
Written February 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mel_23_dec
Melbourne, Australia4 contributions
Jan 2022 • Solo
I usually don’t write reviews but this had so many bad reviews & as an overseas visitor, travelling around London, I have to say I thought it was great!! & it’s free!! I stumbled upon this while walking Oxford Street. It was the highlight of my day. A view of some of the London landmarks & the light show below was really cool!!
Written January 9, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HTP
Wembley, UK241 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
The arch itself is beautiful and it’s been beautiful for years. However the recent mount built next to it seems to shadow the arch and makes it insignificant. The mount is nothing special but a waste of money. I only went to visit because it was free of charge.
Written August 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
greenbeavers
Brighton, UK281 contributions
Sep 2021 • Friends
The mound at Marble Arch is quite frankly a total mystery - what is it? Why is it there? Why on earth was so much money wasted on it? I cannot see how this will help London Post pandemic. It is a jumble of scaffolding with earth piled up against it. It’s not high enough for great views although tips of landmarks are visible above the trees. However the worst for me though was the requirement to complete a sheet with your contact details for no apparent reason. A ticket was not required and these sheets were lying around visible for all to see in blatant breach of data protection law!! I assume it's free because the powers that be realise nobody would pay!!
Written September 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karen M
Romford, UK49 contributions
Aug 2021
Marble Arch Mound
I went for free in August so that was great. I love anything that encourages interaction and exercise and nature. Was able to walk up the wide steps and rest at each level. Had a great view from the top and a cool breeze, chatted to everyone and walked down. Very small so very easy. When it is finished it will have an art gallery inside at the bottom and an M&S cafe. Right opposite Marble Arch station and next to Oxford Street. Finally something that invites interaction, exercise and nature and a great view. Better than all these ugly metal modern art type bits of metal jutting out of the ground that I keep seeing. I hope this becomes permanent. Once all the plants and trees grow it will be even more attractive and good for the environment. We need cleaner air anyway. The birds loved it too and no doubt, the insects. Great to get a good view at the top. This should stay and we should have more of them. What a brilliant idea hitting a lot of wins!
I went for free in August so that was great. I love anything that encourages interaction and exercise and nature. Was able to walk up the wide steps and rest at each level. Had a great view from the top and a cool breeze, chatted to everyone and walked down. Very small so very easy. When it is finished it will have an art gallery inside at the bottom and an M&S cafe. Right opposite Marble Arch station and next to Oxford Street. Finally something that invites interaction, exercise and nature and a great view. Better than all these ugly metal modern art type bits of metal jutting out of the ground that I keep seeing. I hope this becomes permanent. Once all the plants and trees grow it will be even more attractive and good for the environment. We need cleaner air anyway. The birds loved it too and no doubt, the insects. Great to get a good view at the top. This should stay and we should have more of them. What a brilliant idea hitting a lot of wins!
Written August 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jannerbloke
Plymouth, UK13,204 contributions
Did the late Queens coffin on the gun carriage or in her hearse get driven through the arch? If it’s not used for such events, what’s it for?
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