Queen Victoria had this memorial built in 1872, in honour of her late and much loved husband, Prince Albert, who died from a bout of typhoid in 1861. Sir George Gilbert Scott designed the monument, which took 20 years to complete, and cost over £130,000. Sir George Gilbert Scott was also responsible for St Pancras Station.
Situated right opposite the Royal Albert Hall, this extremely elaborate design stands some 175 feet tall.
Time took its toll on the monument, especially on its wrought iron work, and major structural repairs became necessary when some lead cladding fell off the top. The monument was surrounded in scaffolding in 1993, when restoration work began. The cost of repair, which was estimated to cost £14 million, was completed in September 1998, and the monument unveiled to HM The Queen. A visitor's centre has been opened at the base.
Address: South Carriage Drive, Kensington Gardens, London, SW7 2AP
Tel: +44 (0)20 7495 0916