Embassy of Zimbabwe, London facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Embassy of Zimbabwe in London |
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| Location | Covent Garden, London |
| Address | 429 Strand, London, WC2R 0JR |
| Coordinates | 51°30′35″N 0°07′26″W / 51.5096°N 0.1240°W |
| Ambassador | Gabriel Mharadze Machinga |
The Embassy of Zimbabwe in London is like Zimbabwe's official office in the United Kingdom. It helps keep good relationships between the two countries. This office is located in a special building called Zimbabwe House.
Zimbabwe House is a very old and important building at 429 Strand in central London. It used to be called a "High Commission." This is what countries in the Commonwealth call their diplomatic offices. But Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth on December 7, 2003. After that, its office in London became known as an "Embassy."
Contents
About Zimbabwe House
Building Design and Art
The building was designed by a famous architect named Charles Holden. He created it in 1907–08. It was first built to be the main office for the British Medical Association.
The building also has special sculptures made by an artist named Jacob Epstein. These sculptures show how science has grown and the different stages of human life. This was one of his first big art projects in London.
From Rhodesia House to Zimbabwe House
Before it became Zimbabwe House, the building was known as Rhodesia House. From 1923, it was the main office for Southern Rhodesia. Southern Rhodesia was a British colony that later became Zimbabwe.
In 1965, Southern Rhodesia declared itself independent from Britain. After this, its office in London lost its official diplomatic status. It became a "Representative Office" instead. This meant it no longer had the same special protections as an embassy. This situation continued until 1980, when the country officially became Zimbabwe.
The Embassy Today
The Embassy of Zimbabwe is sometimes a place where people gather to protest. These protests are usually about the government in Zimbabwe.
