The sculpture on top of the Wellington Arch is called Quadriga. Designed by Adrian Jones, a former army veterinary captain who specialised in animal figures, it was added to the arch in 1912 and is Europe's largest bronze sculpture. It depicts four horses representing the forces of chaos and war being calmed by the angel of peace.

Cleaning and conservation

Over the last century weather, air pollution and bird droppings have taken their toll on the masterpiece. Conservators have cleaned the sculpture of years of dirt, grease and grime, as well as treating corrosion, flaws, cracks and rain damage. The next phase of the project is to apply several coats of clear wax to protect the sculpture in the future.

Kate Mavor, English Heritage's Chief Executive, said: "We're giving one of London's most dramatic sculptures the tender loving care it deserves. Our conservation work will mean that people can enjoy this great work of art for years to come."

History of the arch

Wellington Arch is one of London's best-known landmarks. Built in 1825-7 to commemorate the Duke of Wellington's victories over Napoleon, it originally stood directly south of Piccadilly, facing the Hyde Park Screen. A controversial statue of the Duke was placed on top of the arch in 1846 but this was taken down in the 1880s when the arch was moved to allow for road widening.

The arch was moved to its present location in 1960-62 in another attempt to relieve traffic congestion. Today it houses exhibitions on the story of the arch and the Battle of Waterloo, which will remain open to the public during the conservation work.

The arch has been under English Heritage's care since 1999. The conservation of the Quadriga sculpture is the first project in the 'Making England Shine' programme which is supported by Cif and will help to conserve and restore historic places to their former glory.

Olivier Juglair, Cif Global Head of Marketing said: "Cif's social purpose is to restore the beauty of the man-made world. When things are cleaned to reveal their original beauty, they have a positive impact on the people around them; so we're always looking for people and organisations that share our values to help us do it. Like Cif, English Heritage is restoring the nation's most-loved buildings and landmarks for us all to enjoy!"

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