Belgrave Square

Belgrave Square is a large 19th-century garden square in the City of Westminster. It sits at the heart of Belgravia, surrounded by grand terraces of white-stucco houses. The square measures 650 feet across and is framed by four terraces, three with eleven houses and one with twelve. Three corners hold detached mansions, while the centre contains a private garden. Statues of historical figures stand around the lawn, including Christopher Columbus and Simón Bolívar. The square’s architecture was shaped by Thomas Cubitt and George Basevi in the 1820s for the 1st Marquess of Westminster. Many early residents were aristocrats and wealthy capitalists seeking influence in London. The German Embassy now occupies three houses on the west side, while the Spanish Embassy is at No. 24. During the Second World War, tanks were parked here, and later the buildings became offices for charities. Visitors find embassies lining three sides of the square, each with its own history. No. 1 Belgrave Square once hosted Romanian ambassadors and now serves the Romanian Cultural Institute. No. 17 was home to Lady Sassoon, who held wartime parties for soldiers. The Austrian Embassy has stood at No. 18 since 1866, making it one of the oldest diplomatic posts in the square.