Monuments in Victoria Tower Gardens
Victoria Tower Gardens boasts a stunning range of sculptures that celebrate freedom.
A riverside sanctuary in the political heart of Westminster
As you enter the park from Parliament Square, you’re greeted by an icon – Emmeline Pankhurst, the courageous suffragette who led the campaign that helped win women the vote. The statue was unveiled in 1930 by Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin. Emmeline Pankhurst has another important connection with The Royal Parks, as she is buried at Brompton Cemetery.
Just beyond Pankhurst is Auguste Rodin’s sculpture, The Burghers of Calais, telling the story of the siege of Calais which took place in the 1400s. The original stands outside Calais town hall, but Rodin had a number of casts made and travelled to London from his native France to advise on its placement.
Towards the other end of the park, is a memorial that celebrates the abolition of the slave trade. Known as the Buxton Memorial, it commemorates the work of MP Thomas Fowell Buxton – a prominent anti-slavery campaigner. The spectacular, colourful memorial originally sat on the edge of Parliament Square, but it was moved to Victoria Tower Gardens in the 1950s.
To find out more about these special works, explore the links below.
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