Bank of England – Front doors

On the left panel, a caduceus — the winged staff of Mercury — rises beneath a sailing ship from the age of the Bank’s founding. Together they speak of commerce and communication, the swift exchange of goods and wealth that powered Britain’s emergence as a maritime trading empire. The wand of Mercury, god of trade and messengers, evokes financial ingenuity and movement — the lifeblood of a global economy.

On the right, the hand of Zeus grasps a bolt of lightning, expressing command over unseen energy: once natural, now symbolic of modern electrical and financial force. It represents the Bank’s mastery of new powers — not just of gold or paper, but of technology, influence, and trust.

Above, two constellations mirror the heavens of the northern and southern hemispheres: Ursa Major and the Southern Cross. These celestial emblems remind us that the Bank’s reach extends across the world — underwriting empires, trade routes, and the global flow of money itself.

Guarding these elements stand the lions — eternal symbols of strength and vigilance, protecting the realm’s wealth within. Together, these figures form a story in stone and bronze: the mythic spirit of commerce, transformed into the enduring authority of the modern financial age.