Trafalgar Square, London
Trafalgar Square is a public square in the City of Westminster, Central London. Its name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, a British naval victory in the Napoleonic Wars with France and Spain that took place on 21 October 1805 off the coast of Cape Trafalgar, Spain. Nelson’s Column William Railton designed the column and statue to honour Admiral Nelson, after his victory in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The granite statue was sculpted by E. H. Baily. It is five metres high and stands on a bronze platform made from old guns from the Woolwich Arsenal Foundry. The four bronze panels at the base of the column depict some of Nelson’s battles. The lions, designed by Sir Edwin Landseer, are said to protect Nelson’s Column. Fountains The fountains were added in 1845. The mermaids, dolphins and tritons (the male figures with tails like fish) were installed later. The fountains operate on most days. Statues There are four plinths for statues in the square. Bronze statues stand on three of them: General Sir Charles James Napier in the southwest, Major General Sir Henry Havelock in the southeast and King George IV in the northeast. The fourth plinth, in the northwest of the square, was empty for many years. It is now managed by a Commissioning Group Panel of specialist advisors. This group guides and monitors the commissions for the plinth. The content presents world-class contemporary artworks in the public realm. Police box Probably the smallest police box ever built can be found on the southeast corner of the square. There was originally a lamp, built in 1826. In 1926, Scotland Yard installed a telephone line and light which the police could use to call for assistance. It is now used for storage.
Trafalgar Square is a public square in the City of Westminster, Central London. Its name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, a British naval victory in the Napoleonic Wars with France and Spain that took place on 21 October 1805 off the coast of Cape Trafalgar, Spain. Nelson’s Column William Railton designed the column and statue to honour Admiral Nelson, after his victory in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The granite statue was sculpted by E. H. Baily. It is five metres high and stands on a bronze platform made from old guns from the Woolwich Arsenal Foundry. The four bronze panels at the base of the column depict some of Nelson’s battles. The lions, designed by Sir Edwin Landseer, are said to protect Nelson’s Column. Fountains The fountains were added in 1845. The mermaids, dolphins and tritons (the male figures with tails like fish) were installed later. The fountains operate on most days. Statues There are four plinths for statues in the square. Bronze statues stand on three of them: General Sir Charles James Napier in the southwest, Major General Sir Henry Havelock in the southeast and King George IV in the northeast. The fourth plinth, in the northwest of the square, was empty for many years. It is now managed by a Commissioning Group Panel of specialist advisors. This group guides and monitors the commissions for the plinth. The content presents world-class contemporary artworks in the public realm. Police box Probably the smallest police box ever built can be found on the southeast corner of the square. There was originally a lamp, built in 1826. In 1926, Scotland Yard installed a telephone line and light which the police could use to call for assistance. It is now used for storage.