Best Places to see in London-Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square, the largest square in London, is often considered the heart of London. Ever since the Middle Ages, Trafalgar Square has been a central meeting place. At the middle of the square stands a tall column, a monument honouring Admiral Nelson.

The square was originally called Charing. Later it became known as Charing Cross, after a memorial cross on the square. The nearby underground station, also known as 'Tube’, is still named Charing Cross.

History

From the 13th century, on the square, was the site of the King's Royal Hawks and later, the Royal Mews. In 1812, the Prince Regent, who would later become King George IV, asked architect John Nash to redevelop the area. Nash had the terrain cleared, but he died before his plans were realised. The new design for a large square was finally implemented between 1840 and 1845, under the supervision of architect Sir Charles Barry.

Nelson's Column

At the centre of the square is the tall Nelson's Column, which was built to commemorate the victory of Admiral Horatio, Lord Nelson, over the French fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar on the 21st of October 1805. Nelson was fatally wounded during that famous battle off the Spanish coast. His body was taken back to London and buried in the St. Paul’s Cathedral.

The Corinthian column was built in 1842, and is approximately 170ft or 52 metres high (including the base). It was built after a design by William Railton, which was chosen from a selection of 124 competition entries. On top of the column stands an 18ft (5.5 meter) tall statue of Lord Nelson, created by Edmund Hodges. At the base of the National Gallery column are four huge lions modelled by Sir Edwin Landseer. They were added later, in 1868.

National Gallery

Trafalgar square also contains a large number of statues and two fountains by Sir Edwin Lutyens, added in 1939. The square is surrounded by many great buildings. On the north side is the neo-classical National Gallery, built between 1834 and 1838. It houses a collection of more than 2300 paintings, including works by van Gogh, Renoir, Leonardo da Vinci and Claude Monet. On the east side, the square is bordered by the Canada House, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, completed in 1827. Opposite the Canada House is the South Africa House, which opened in 1933.

St. Martin-in-the-Fields

At the north-east corner is the St. Martin-in-the-Fields parish church. The church, with a large white steeple, was built in 1721 by James Gibbs and was used as a model for many churches, especially in the United States. It is the fourth church at this site, the first was built in the 13th century.

Are you considering visiting London and the U.K.? Then contact the London official visitor agency-Visit London and Partners at: 08701 566 366  visitorinfo@londonandpartners.com     

You can also contact the City of London Information Centre: Opposite St Paul's Cathedral:

City of London, Guildhall, PO Box 270, London, EC2P 2EJ     pro@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Telephone: 020 7606 3030

They can offer you credible, pursuable and realistic information and advice on the following fronts: Cheap flights to London, hotels in London, cheap hotels in London, boutique hotels in London, bed and breakfast in London, guest houses in London, holiday apartments in London, timeshare accommodation in London, youth hostels in London, transportation in London, bus tours in London, river tours in London, coach tours of the U.K., entertainment in London, tourist attractions in London etc.