Plaque: Royal Opera Arcade
Royal Opera Arcade
You are now entering London's first arcade which was completed in 1821. The Royal Opera Arcade was designed by John Nash and is considered to be one of his finest works.
The arcade has a fascinating history, having survived a fire, dereliction and the Blitz.
In 1948, the Government of New Zealand leased the site comprising the bombed rubble of the Carlton Hotel, Her Majesty's Theatre and the Royal Opera Arcade. New Zealand House, built on the site of the Carlton Hotel, was opened in 1963.
Although the entrances leading into the theatre from the arcade have long gone, the shops with their bow-fronted windows are still used as Nash intended.
The "plaque" is actually a very dull modern notice inside the arcade so for our close-up picture we've focussed on the classical entrance arch instead.
Site: Royal Opera Arcade (1 memorial)
SW1, Pall Mall
