The Victoria Embankment under construction in 1865.

The Victoria Embankment is located at the coordinates .

The Victoria Embankment's construction started in 1865. It was completed in 1870 under the direction of Joseph Bazalgette, and was a project of the Metropolitan Board of Works. The contractor for the work was Thomas Brassey.^[1] The original impetus was the need to provide London with a modern sewerage system. Another major consideration was the relief of congestion on The Strand and Fleet Street.

The project involved building out onto the foreshore of the Thames, thus narrowing the river. The construction work required the purchase and demolition of much expensive riverside property. The tunnels for the District Line were built underneath the Embankment. At ground level, in addition to the new roads, two handsome public gardens were laid out. One of these backs onto the government buildings of Whitehall, and the other stretches from Hungerford Bridge to Waterloo Bridge. The gardens contain many statues, including a monument to Bazalgette. The section of the gardens between Waterloo Bridge and Charing Cross railway station also includes a large bandstand, where many musical performances are given, and the watergate of the former York House.

York Water Gate and the Adelphi from the River by Moonlight, circa 1850.

The water gate, its main historical feature, was built in 1626 for the Duke of Buckingham.

The watergate of the former York House.

Route

The Victoria Embankment (part of the A3211) starts at Westminster Bridge, just north of the Palace of Westminster, then follows the course of the north bank, past Hungerford Bridge and Waterloo Bridge, before ending at Blackfriars Bridge. Shell Mex House and the Savoy Hotel are located between the Embankment and the Strand.

Transport

London Underground stations along Victoria Embankment are Westminster, Embankment, Charing Cross, Temple and Blackfriars. The former Aldwych tube station was also located nearby. The N50 night bus is the only bus route along the Embankment, perhaps because of the proliferation of tube stations along the route.

Victoria Embankment was also the southern end of the Kingsway Tramway Subway.

Tourist attractions

Ships permanently moored by Victoria Embankment include HMS President and HMS Wellington. Other attractions include Cleopatra's Needle and the modernistic Cleopatra's Kiosk.

References

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