Trafalgar Square, A historic epicenter of culture and celebration

Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN

The square and the art gallery are together

4.3

Introduction

The square was built in 1805 and is located in the center of London, with the south end leading to the Whitehall government office area and towards the Houses of Parliament. To the southwest is the Admiralty Arch, behind which is The Mall leading to Buckingham Palace. To the north is the National Gallery, with St Martin-in-the-Fields church and high commission offices of Commonwealth countries such as Canada, South Africa, and Malaysia also surrounding it. Previously, the square was surrounded by streets, but in recent years, the streets on the north side have been closed and turned into pedestrian walkways, improving the traffic and environment of the square. The most famous landmark in the square is the Nelson's Column at the south end, which stands at 53 meters and is a monument to the British national hero, Horatio Nelson. At the top of the column, there is a bronze statue of the general, surrounded by four bronze lions at the base and reliefs commemorating each battle of the Napoleonic Wars around the base. There are two fountains in the center of the square with steps at the north end. There are four statue plinths at the four corners of the square and two more in front of the National Gallery, of which five currently have bronze statues of historical figures, monarchs, and American founding father George Washington. The fourth plinth in the northwest corner remains empty but is used for temporary exhibitions of modern sculpture by the City of London government.