Royal Arch (structure) facts for kids
The Royal Arch was a large stone archway in Dundee, Scotland. It was also known as the Victoria Arch. Workers built it between 1849 and 1853. The arch stood proudly on the city's waterfront. It was taken down in 1964 to make way for a new bridge.
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Why the Royal Arch Was Built
The Royal Arch was built to remember a special visit. Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert, came to Dundee in 1844. Their royal boat landed right where the arch would later stand. This was the first time a British monarch had visited Dundee in a very long time. Queen Victoria often passed through Dundee on her way to Balmoral Castle. The people of Dundee wanted a grand way to remember this important event.
How the Arch Was Designed and Built
At first, a simple wooden arch stood in its place. This first arch was designed by an engineer named James Leslie. People wanted a stronger, lasting structure. So, a competition was held to find the best design.
The winning design came from John Thomas Rochead. He also designed the famous Wallace Monument near Stirling. The Royal Arch was made of strong sandstone. It looked like a grand triumphal arch. It had a big arch in the middle and two smaller arches on each side. Two towers stood on top of the main arch. The whole structure was about 80 feet wide. It cost a lot of money to build, mostly paid for by public donations. The arch was located between two docks, the King William IV Dock and the Earl Grey Dock.
Why the Royal Arch Was Demolished
The Royal Arch stood for over 100 years. But in 1964, it was taken down. This happened because of a big building project. Workers needed to build the Tay Road Bridge. The land where the arch stood was needed for the bridge's roads.
On March 16, 1964, the arch was destroyed using dynamite. The broken pieces were used to fill in the King William IV and Earl Grey Docks. This created new land for the bridge's ramps.
What Remains of the Royal Arch
Even though the arch is gone, its memory lives on. In 2010, some pieces of the arch were found during new building work. More of its foundations were uncovered in 2014.
Some people wanted to build a new arch, just like the old one. But the city council said it was too difficult. Instead, special granite paving stones were placed where the arch used to be. Four trees were also planted nearby to mark the spot.
The Royal Arch in Art and Culture
The Royal Arch is still remembered in different ways:
- A small bronze model of the arch can be seen outside the Overgate Centre in Dundee.
- An architect named Steven Holl used the idea of the arch in his design for a new museum building.
- A famous photograph of the arch was taken in 1959 by Michael Peto. You can see this photo online through the University of Dundee.
- In 2016, a huge replica of the arch was built from cardboard boxes. It was part of a public art project in Slessor Gardens, close to where the real arch stood. It was taken down the next day.
