The Doric Arch and Muses in Stowe Gardens

Stowe Gardens' Doric Arch reminds us of how much our forebears loved the elegance of classical design, as well as myths and legends from ancient Hellenic and Roman culture. Here, the Doric Arch serves as the focus point for statues of the god Apollo and the nine Muses - the goddesses of the arts, literature, and science.

Apollo, as the sun god of Greek mythology, is the patron of the arts, poetry, knowledge, and music, while the nine Muses were sisters, and daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne.

An impressive part of Stowe Gardens since the early 18th century, this group of statues was originally part of the Parterre garden. They were moved to the lower slope of the Elysian Fields in the 1750s and finally - in the 1760s - the statues were relocated to surround the Doric Arch.

In the time since, the original statues were lost or damaged beyond repair. Fortunately, the National Trust commissioned replacements and restored the 1760s scene after archaeologists discovered the exact location of the original positions of the sculptures. If you visit now, you can see the Arch, the gravel path, and the statues of the Muses as they would have been back in the 1760s.

For more information on Stowe Gardens and Parkland and opening times and events please visit the National Trust website here.

Meet the Ten Muses Around the Doric Arch in Stowe Gardens

I have listed the Muses as they are seen, right to left, in the photograph above.

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If you'd like to find all the monuments of Stowe Gardens, then why not make a long weekend of it? Look for local accommodation using our Booking.com search box.

For more England days out return from our Doric Arch and Muses page to the Monuments of Stowe Park page.

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