Coronation Arches

For the coronation of Queen Elizabeth the Second in 1953, the stretch of road known as The Mall was transformed by four colossal steel arches. Designed by architect Eric Bedford, these structures rose to a height of up to eighty-five feet above the processional route. They were not merely functional supports but elaborate decorative displays, featuring bright floodlights and gold-colored, fan-shaped metalwork meant to evoke the grandeur of the occasion. Once the celebrations concluded, officials briefly considered dismantling the steel frames to repurpose the materials for the restoration of the historic Palm House at Kew Gardens, though that plan was ultimately set aside.