When former Prime Minister Winston Churchill died on January 24, 1965, Britain mourned, just as the United States had done 20 years before when President Roosevelt died suddenly while still in office. In many ways, the two were very different men: Churchill was a staunch and belligerent conservative and former soldier; Roosevelt, a polio survivor, presided over the New Deal, one of the most far-reaching liberal reforms in the history of the U.S. But pushed together by fate, Churchill and Roosevelt forged one of the most important relationships of the 20th century.

After the war ended in 1945, many grandiose statues were made to celebrate the two heroes, but it was intimacy that British-American sculptor Lawrence Holofcener had in mind when he created Allies. The two friends sit on a bench talking amiably, with Churchill holding his trademark cigar. Princess Margaret unveiled the statue on May 2, 1995, to commemorate 50 years of peace. It is now a popular tourist attraction as visitors can take their place among two of the 20th century’s most exalted heroes.