Richard Coeur de Lion, Equestrian statue at Old Palace Yard in Westminster, England
Richard Coeur de Lion is a bronze equestrian statue located at Old Palace Yard in Westminster, depicting a mounted king in full armour. The figure sits upright with sword raised skyward, mounted on a granite pedestal positioned near the entrance to the House of Lords.
The monument was completed in 1856 by sculptor Carlo Marochetti, with roots in the 1851 Great Exhibition where the original clay model was displayed. World War II bombing in the area bent the sword and damaged the granite base, leaving marks of that conflict visible on the statue today.
The statue shows Richard I on horseback in chainmail and a crowned helmet, embodying his role as a warrior king in the heart of Parliament's grounds. Visitors walking past notice how this image of the mounted ruler commands attention amid the surrounding government buildings.
The statue sits at the corner of Abingdon Street and Old Palace Yard near the House of Lords, easily reached from Trafalgar Square and well-signposted from nearby streets. Access is open at all times and no tickets or special arrangements are needed to view it from the public paths around it.
The original clay model was displayed at the 1851 Great Exhibition before being cast in bronze, supported by public fundraising that Queen Victoria and Prince Albert helped champion. This link to one of history's greatest exhibitions gives the statue deeper roots in Victorian Britain than many passersby realize.
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