Yalta Memorial Garden

The Yalta Memorial Garden is a small public garden in South Kensington at the corner of Cromwell Gardens and Thurloe Place. The space features paved walkways, seating areas, and is framed by ornamental trees with hedging that defines its boundaries.

The garden commemorates people forcibly returned to Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union in the years following 1945. An earlier memorial from 1982 was replaced by the current installation titled Twelve Responses to Tragedy.

The garden takes its name from the 1945 Yalta Conference where Europe's future was negotiated by world leaders. Visitors discover a quiet space that acknowledges the human cost of those distant political choices.

The garden sits at a busy corner near the Victoria & Albert Museum and is accessible throughout the day without restrictions. Visitors should note that the space is compact, so it can become crowded during lunch hours and early evening on weekdays.

A triangular flower bed in the western section creates an unexpected geometric shape within the otherwise classical garden layout. This design feature adds visual interest and gives the small space a subtle character of its own.

Location: Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

GPS coordinates: 51.49570,-0.17217

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:22