Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square stands at the heart of Westminster in central London. Built on the site of the former King's Mews — royal stables that George IV cleared out when he moved his horses to Buckingham Palace — it was laid out by architect John Nash and formally opened on 1 May 1844. Its name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805, when the Royal Navy crushed the combined French and Spanish fleets. The square is often cited as the ceremonial centre of London and the point from which road distances to the capital are measured. At its centre rises Nelson's Column, 52 metres tall; around the base: four bronze lions, statues on flanking plinths, and the Fourth Plinth in the northwest corner, which since 1999 has rotated a succession of contemporary artworks.
United Kingdom · 10 The overlooked corners inside
The overlooked corners inside
Landseer Lions
Four bronze lions crouch at the base of Nelson's Column — the most climbed things in the square, and the most misunderstood. They were designed by the painter Sir Edwin Landseer and cast by Carlo Marochetti, but weren't installed until 1867, nearly two decades after the column itself. Landseer received £6,000 for the design; Marochetti was paid £11,000 to cast them.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Nelson's Column
The admiral at the top has his back to the sea. Nelson's Column stands 169 feet 3 inches (about 51.6 metres) from the base of the plinth to the tip of the hat. Designed by William Railton, it commemorates Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson's decisive victory over the combined French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar — the engagement in which he was shot and killed by a French sniper. The shaft is Corinthian, built from Dartmoor granite; the Nelson statue at the top was carved by Edward Hodges Baily from Craigleith sandstone. The four bronze lions at the base came later.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Statue of Sir Charles James Napier
On the southwest plinth stands a bronze figure in military dress — bareheaded, cloaked, left hand holding a scabbard, right hand gripping a scroll representing his governorship of Sindh. The statue, by sculptor George Gamon Adams, stands roughly twelve feet (about 3.7 metres) including its tall granite pedestal. The inscription on the base records in Roman numerals that he was "born 1782, died 1853 — 71 years later."
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Statue of Sir Henry Havelock
On the southeast plinth stands a bronze in full military dress: Major General Sir Henry Havelock KCB, by sculptor William Behnes. It was erected in 1861 by public subscription, its granite pedestal matching the height of the Napier statue opposite. The figure stands upright in uniform and greatcoat. It is said to be among the earliest statues made with the help of photography — Havelock had died in 1857, before Behnes could model him from life.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Nelson atop the Column
Looking up from the square, the figure at the top of the column appears no bigger than a thumb — yet it stands 17 feet (about 5.2 metres) tall, roughly three times the height of the real Nelson. Victoria-era records put Nelson himself at 5 feet 6 inches, making this a precise 3:1 enlargement. Sculptor Edward Hodges Baily carved it from three blocks of Craigleith sandstone, donated by Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
The Plinths
Four plinths punctuate the square — part of architect Charles Barry's original design. Alo… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
The Fourth Plinth
The northwest plinth stood empty from the late nineteenth century until the twenty-first… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Other Statues
To the south of the square, on the site of the original Charing Cross, stands an equestria… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Charing Cross
The name Charing Cross comes from a memorial cross that once stood on this site — traditio… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Norwegian Christmas Tree
Every December a Norway spruce more than twenty metres tall goes up in the centre of the s… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
FAQ
What overlooked corners are worth seeing inside Trafalgar Square?
Landseer Lions, Nelson's Column, Statue of Sir Charles James Napier and more — 10 spots in all, each with sources and a guide in your language to read or listen to on the spot.
Is the Trafalgar Square guide free?
The first 5 spots are free to read; the other 5 unlock with a one-time purchase (not a subscription).