Trafalgar Square

A public plaza designed in the early 19th century around the region formerly known as Charing Cross, Trafalgar Square is located in the City of Westminster in the heart of London. A tall column with a statue of Admiral Nelson honoring the victory at the Battle of Trafalgar stands at its center. The fight of October 21st, 1805 proved the British navy's superiority over the Spanish and French fleets at sea during the Napoleonic Wars. Since the 1200s, the area around Trafalgar Square has served as a prominent landmark. Distances from Charing Cross have been used as landmarks for centuries.

The King's Mews finely built; walled courtyard once stood where the current plaza now stands. John Nash renovated the area after George IV transferred the mews to Buckingham Palace, but following his death, work slowed down and the square didn't open until 1844. Four lion sculptures protect the 169-foot (52 m) Nelson's Column in its center. The area is home to several memorial monuments and sculptures, but the Fourth Plinth, which has been vacant since 1840, has been exhibiting modern art since 1999. The National Gallery, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Canada House, and South Africa House are some of the notable structures that face the plaza.

The area has hosted neighborhood events as well as political rallies, including as Bloody Sunday in 1887, the conclusion of the first Aldermaston March, anti-war marches, and campaigns against climate change. Since 1947, Norway has contributed a Christmas tree to the square, which is displayed for twelve days before and after Christmas. On New Year's Eve, the square serves as the focal point of festivities. Prior to the evacuation of the feral pigeons in the early 21st century, it was well known for having them.

Location: City of Westminster, London