Apsley House was built at the end of the 1700s by Lord Apsley and is a Grade I-listed building now owned by English Heritage. The mansion passed into the 1st Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, who became famous for finally defeating Napoleon. Out of the fame, the duke became very famous and wealthy and also became involved with politics/a prime minister. The house includes a very good collection of paintings commissioned by the duke, given by friends and other leaders, or discovered/retained by enemies. In addition to paintings, other gifts were given by other country leaders as gratitude for defeating Napoleon.
While Apsley House is still a current home of the ancestors of the Duke of Wellington, eleven of the rooms are open for the museum and display many of the gifts and paintings.
The Duke of Wellington had built onto the original house through the years, and the original dining room was an extension as well as the new and larger dining room (known as Waterloo Gallery) to accommodate over eighty guests and the floor below. The new dining room was used yearly for several years in the mid-1800s to host very large parties. The Waterloo Gallery was inspired by Versailles Palace and the wall of mirrors. The windows have shutters for which mirrors are hung.
The adjoining room, a withdrawing room, is a more intimate space and contains the oldest foot-pedal piano in the world.
Another piece that lives in the house in the grand staircase is a monumental statue of Napoleon, which was inspired to look like a Greek god. The classical nude statue depicted a classic physique and Napoleon's face, and he was so embarrassed by it that he had it banned from display. The Duke of Wellington also had a few paintings of Napoleon and some items that he used to own; perhaps he was inspired by Napoleon's strategy.
Over the Christmas season, the rooms are decorated with Christmas decorations and Christmas trees, cards, and garlands to create a festive atmosphere. At the moment, they are hosting carol singing in the house.
I actually found the house to be interesting, and the audio guide helped me to learn about the house and the collections of artwork. I'd recommend a visit. It took me just over two hours to complete the tour. You can also combine this with the other Duke of Wellington monument across the road (Wellington Arch), which is also an English Heritgage property. I'd previously visited this in February of this year, so you can read more about it here: A Visit to Wellington Arch, London.
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