Apsley House in London was the home of the Duke of Wellington, who defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. It is now a museum displaying over 3,000 items, including art collections, silverware, and military orders. The house was built in the 1770s and was donated to Great Britain in 1947, becoming a museum in 1952 after modernizations and renovations.
Apsley House in London is the home of a British war hero, the Duke of Wellington, who fought and defeated Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815 at the Battle of Waterloo. The Duke of Wellington resided at Apsley House for more than three decades and Apsley House’s legacy is notable for its historic value and finely restored Regency period details. Visitors to the house have the opportunity to view the art collections and gifts that were given to the Duke of Wellington by royal heads of state from across Europe in thanksgiving for his defeat of Napoleon.
Some of the items on display include silverware, fine china, medals and military orders of the Duke of Wellington, swords and china. The items number more than 3,000 and also include sculptures and paintings. Sculptures include one of a nude Napoleon depicted as the Roman god Mars. There is also a portrait of the duke. Many of the paintings, considered masterpieces both in their day and now, are originals to the house and hung there when the duke resided at Apsley House.
The prestige and military victories of the Duke of Wellington are enshrined in Apsley House, but he was not the first owner of the impressive structure. It takes its name from the original owner, Baron Apsley, who had it built in the 1770s. In 1807, the house passed into the family hands of the Duke of Wellington. His older brother owned it before he passed on to the military hero, known as the Iron Duke.
Apsley House was first opened to the public in 1853. The Duke’s heir invited visitors to visit the Museum Room, where porcelain and silver were displayed. In 1947 the house was donated to Great Britain while the family kept part of it for their own use. Apsley House became a museum, opening in 1952 following some modernisations. The house had previously run on gas light and the furniture was in need of renovation. By 1982 the interior of Apsley House had been refurbished to reflect how it first appeared when the Duke of Wellington resided there centuries earlier. These renovations were conducted under the leadership of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
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