Traces of Past Empires

By pastempires

Zimbabwe Embassy, Strand, London

The Embassy of Zimbabwe in London is located in Zimbabwe House at 429 Strand in London.

It was previously a High Commission and became an Embassy after Zimbabwe's departure from the Commonwealth on 7 December 2003 as a result of Commonwealth criticism of Robert Mugabe's regime's human rights record and its policies.

The building was designed by architect Charles Holden in 1907–08 as the headquarters of the British Medical Association (BMA) and featured a series of sculptures by Jacob Epstein representing the development of science and the Ages of Man, his first major commission in London.

The nakedness of many of these sculptures shocked Edwardian sensibilities and provoked controversy when it was built. The sculptures are unfortunately now in a mutilated condition, because in the 1930s dangerous projecting features were removed after pieces fell from one of the statues.

The building became Rhodesia House, and served as the High Commission of Southern Rhodesia from 1923 until the Rhodesian UDI on 11 November 1965. Rhodesia was unique in being the only British colony to have a High Commission, as only Dominions (and later, independent Commonwealth members) were represented in this way.

After UDI it was a Representative Office until Zimbabwe became independent in 1980.

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