Trafalgar Square is the largest square in London, which is located in the geographical center of the city, which is why it is often called the heart of the city. It stands at the intersection of the three main streets of Westminster - Whitehall, Mahe and Strand. The address in English looks like this: Trafalgar Square, Westminster, London WC2N 5DN.
Since the Middle Ages, this area has been a central meeting place. In the center of the square stands a tall column in honor of Admiral Nelson.
Initially, Trafalgar Square in London was named after William IV, but it got its final name in memory of the victory of England in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
History of Trafalgar Square
From the thirteenth century, the square housed the premises for the royal hawks, and later the royal stables were located here.
In 1812, the Prince Regent, who later became King George IV, asked the architect John Nash to redevelop the square. After a long delay, work finally began in 1830. Neshu had the area cleared, he died before his plans were realized and work was stopped.
The completion of the National Gallery in 1838, on the north side of the square, re-ignited interest in its renovation. A new design by architect Charles Barry (best known for his Commons and Lords), which consisted of two levels separated by a monumental flight of stairs, was approved and construction began in 1840. Five years later, the square was finally completed.
The square is named after Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson's victory over the French fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar, a naval battle that took place on October 21, 1805 off Cape Trafalgar, off the Spanish coast. Initially, there were no plans for a statue in honor of the admiral who died during the battle. Instead, a statue of King William IV was planned. Ultimately, in 1838, it was decided that Trafalgar Square would be the ideal location for a monument to Britain's most famous admiral, and a competition was organized to select the design.
The winner of the competition was William Railton, who proposed a 52-meter-tall Corinthian column and a statue. The column was built between 1841 and 1843. At the top of the column was placed a statue of Lord Nelson 5.4 meters high, created by Edward Hodges. At the base of the column are four huge lions modeled by Sir Edwin Landseer. They were added later in 1868.
Monuments in Trafalgar Square
There are four plinths at the four corners of the lower level of Trafalgar Square. An equestrian statue of George IV, erected here in 1843, stands on a plinth in the northeast. Originally, the monument to the king was created by Francis Chantrey for Marble Arch, but was instead placed in Trafalgar Square.
In the southwest corner stands a monument to Charles Napier, a military leader known in his time as the commander-in-chief in India. In 1856, a monument was erected to George Gamon Adams. On the west side is a monument to Henry Havelock, another military leader who spent most of his career in India. His sculpture was created in 1861 by William Benes.
For more than 150 years, the plinth at the northwest corner of Trafalgar Square, known as the "Fourth Plinth", has remained empty. It was intended for the equestrian statue of King William IV. Failure to raise enough funds for its construction meant that the statue would not be realized. In 1999 it was decided to use the plinth as a temporary display of contemporary sculpture.
There are several more statues around Trafalgar Square. The most interesting is the equestrian statue of King Charles I, which occupies the middle of a small roundabout south of Nelson's Column. This is the oldest equestrian statue in London, created in 1633 by the French sculptor Hubert Le Sueur. After the execution of Charles I in 1649, Parliament ordered that the statue be melted down. A brazier assigned to this task concealed the statue and sold it back to King Charles II after the English monarchy was restored.
Fountains of Trafalgar Square
The first fountains in Trafalgar Square were installed as part of its development in the 19th century. They were replaced by the current two fountains, created in 1939 as a memorial to David Beatty and John Rushworth Jellicoe, Admirals of the Royal Navy. The fountains were designed by architect Edwin Lutyens and feature sculptures of dolphins, mermaids and baby sharks.
National Gallery
On the north side is the neoclassical National Gallery, built between 1834 and 1838. The museum is home to an impressive collection of paintings spanning six centuries. You can admire the work of some of the world's famous artists, including Rubens, Vermeer, Van Gogh, Titian, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Renoir and Claude Monet.
In the northeast corner of Trafalgar Square is the Church of St. Martin in the Fields (St. Martin-in-the-Fields). It is one of the most famous parish churches in London, thanks in part to its prominent location in one of the busiest areas in the city.
The church, with a large white spire and neoclassical portico, was built in 1721 by James Gibbs and has been used as a model for many churches, especially in the United States. This is the fourth church on this site; the first was built in the thirteenth century. At a time when this area was still rural, hence its name.
