Westminster Park

I arrived early for the 10 AM service at St. Martin's in the Fields. I had passed Westminster Park yesterday, but hadn't explored it. What a beautiful spot to wander through.

These chairs were set up everywhere - not just in Westminster Park but in other parks as well.

You can spot Cleopatra's Needle (more about this in a moment) on the left and St. Paul's on the right of the Thames River.

Many interesting statues in Westminster Park - here's one honoring the Imperial Camel Corps.

Robert Burns - famous poet; 1759-1796

This one is for Robert Haikes, the "founder" of Sunday School.

The Romans transported the obelisks to Alexandria in 12 BC and installed them at an entrance to a temple dedicated to Julius Caesar. The temple had been built by Cleopatra, which is one theory of how the two obelisks came to be called “Cleopatra's Needles.” They were a diplomatic gift in 1819 from Muhammad Ali, the ruler of Egypt and Sudan. The other Needle is in NYC where it stands between the Great Lawn and the Met Museum. It is the oldest outdoor monument in NYC and was dedicated in Central Park in 1881.

The Queen Eleanor Memorial Cross is outside of Charing Cross station, across the street from St. Martin's.