Trafalgar Square

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For other uses, see Trafalgar Square (disambiguation).
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square, London 2 - Jun 2009.jpg
View of the square in 2009
Trafalgar Square is located in City of WestminsterTrafalgar Square
Location within Central London
Former name(s) Charing Cross
Namesake Battle of Trafalgar
Maintained by Greater London Authority
Location City of Westminster, London, England
Postal code WC2
Coordinates 51°30′29″N 00°07′41″WCoordinates: 51°30′29″N 00°07′41″W
North Charing Cross Road
East The Strand
South Northumberland Avenue
Whitehall
West The Mall
Construction
Completion c. 1840
Other
Designer Sir Charles Barry
Website www.london.gov.uk/trafalgarsquare
Trafalgar Square (/trəˈfælɡər/ trə-FAL-gər) is a public square in the City of
Westminster, Central London, established in the early 19th century around the area
formerly known as Charing Cross. The Square's name commemorates the Battle of
Trafalgar, the British naval victory in the Napoleonic Wars over France and Spain
that took place on 21 October 1805 off the coast of Cape Trafalgar.

The site around Trafalgar Square had been a significant landmark since the 1200s.
For centuries, distances measured from Charing Cross have served as location
markers.[1] The site of the present square formerly contained the elaborately
designed, enclosed courtyard, King's Mews. After George IV moved the mews to
Buckingham Palace, the area was redeveloped by John Nash, but progress was slow
after his death, and the square did not open until 1844. The 169-foot (52 m)
Nelson's Column at its centre is guarded by four lion statues. A number of
commemorative statues and sculptures occupy the square, but the Fourth Plinth, left
empty since 1840, has been host to contemporary art since 1999. Prominent buildings
facing the square include the National Gallery, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Canada
House, and South Africa House.

The square has been used for community gatherings and political demonstrations,
including Bloody Sunday in 1887, the culmination of the first Aldermaston March,
anti-war protests, and campaigns against climate change. A Christmas tree has been
donated to the square by Norway since 1947 and is erected for twelve days before
and after Christmas Day. The square is a centre of annual celebrations on New
Year's Eve. It was well known for its feral pigeons until their removal in the
early 21st century.

Contents
1 Name
2 Geography
3 History
3.1 Clearance and development
3.2 Nelson's Column
3.3 Terrorist bombings
3.4 Redevelopment
4 Statues and monuments
4.1 Plinths
4.1.1 Fourth plinth
4.2 Other sculptures
5 Fountains
6 Pigeons
7 Events
7.1 New Year
7.2 Christmas
7.3 Political demonstrations
7.4 Sport
7.5 Other uses
8 Cultural references
9 Other Trafalgar Squares
10 See also
11 References
12 Further reading
13 External links
Name
The square is named after the Battle of Trafalgar, a British naval victory in the
Napoleonic Wars with France and Spain that took place on 21 October 1805 off the
coast of Cape Trafalgar, southwest Spain, although it was not named as such until
1835.[2]

The name "Trafalgar" is a Spanish word of Arabic origin, derived from either Taraf
al-Ghar (‫' طرف الغار‬cape of the cave/laurel')[3][4][5] or Taraf al-Gharb (‫طرف الغرب‬
'extremity of the west').[6][5]

Geography
Trafalgar Square is owned by the Queen in Right of the Crown[a] and managed by the
Greater London Authority, while Westminster City Council owns the roads around the
square, including the pedestrianised area of the North Terrace.[8] The square
contains a large central area with roadways on three sides and a terrace to the
north, in front of the National Gallery. The roads around the square form part of
the A4, a major road running west of the City of London.[9] Originally having
roadways on all four sides, traffic travelled in both directions around the square
until a one-way clockwise gyratory system was introduced on 26 April 1926.[10]
Works completed in 2003 reduced the width of the roads and closed the northern side
to traffic.[11]

Nelson's Column is in the centre of the square, flanked by fountains designed by

Sir Edwin Lutyens between 1937 and 1939[12] (replacements for two of Peterhead
granite, now in Canada) and guarded by four monumental bronze lions sculpted by Sir
Edwin Landseer.[13] At the top of the column is a statue of Horatio Nelson, who
commanded the British Navy at the Battle of Trafalgar.

Surrounding the square are the National Gallery on the north side and St Martin-in-
the-Fields Church to the east.[13] Also on the east is South Africa House, and
facing it across the square is Canada House. To the south west is The Mall, which
leads towards Buckingham Palace via Admiralty Arch, while Whitehall is to the south
and the Strand to the east. Charing Cross Road passes between the National Gallery
and the church.[9]

London Underground's Charing Cross station on the Northern and Bakerloo lines has
an exit in the square. The lines had separate stations, of which the Bakerloo line
one was called Trafalgar Square until they were linked and renamed in 1979 as part
of the construction of the Jubilee line,[14] which was rerouted to Westminster in
1999.[15] Other nearby tube stations are Embankment connecting the District,
Circle, Northern and Bakerloo lines, and Leicester Square on the Northern and
Piccadilly lines.[16]

London bus routes 3, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 23, 24, 29, 53, 87, 88, 91, 139, 159,
176, 453 are only some among the bus routes that pass through Trafalgar Square.[17]

A point in Trafalgar Square is regarded as the official centre of London in

legislation and when measuring distances from the capital.[18]

Trafalgar Square, 1908

Trafalgar Square, 1908
A 360-degree view of Trafalgar Square
A 360-degree view of Trafalgar Square in 2009
History
A painting by James Pollard showing the square
A painting by James Pollard showing the square before the erection of Nelson's
Column
Building work on the south side of the square in the late 1950s revealed deposits
from the last interglacial period. Among the findings were the remains of cave
lions, rhinoceroses, straight-tusked elephants and hippopotami.[19][20][21]

The site has been significant since the 13th century. During Edward I's reign it
hosted the King's Mews, running north from the T-junction in the south, Charing
Cross, where the Strand from the City meets Whitehall coming north from
Westminster.[2] From the reign of Richard II to that of Henry VII, the mews was at
the western end of the Strand. The name "Royal Mews" comes from the practice of
keeping hawks here for moulting; "mew" is an old word for this. After a fire in
1534, the mews were rebuilt as stables, and remained here until George IV moved
them to Buckingham Palace.[22]

Clearance and development

After 1732, the King's Mews were divided into the Great Mews and the smaller Green
Mews to the north by the Crown Stables, a large block, built to the designs of
William Kent. Its site is occupied by the National Gallery.[23]

In 1826 the Commissioners of H.M. Woods, Forests and Land Revenues instructed John
Nash to draw up plans for clearing a large area south of Kent's stable block, and
as far east as St Martin's Lane. His plans left open the whole area of what became
Trafalgar Square, except for a block in the centre, which he reserved for a new
building for the Royal Academy.[24] The plans included the demolition and
redevelopment of buildings between St Martin's Lane and the Strand and the
construction of a road (now called Duncannon Street) across the churchyard of St
Martin-in-the-Fields.[25] The Charing Cross Act was passed in 1826 and clearance
started soon after.[24] Nash died soon after construction started, impeding its
progress. The square was to be named for William IV commemorating his ascent to the
throne in 1830.[26] Around 1835, it was decided that the square would be named
after the Battle of Trafalgar as suggested by architect George Ledwell Taylor,
commemorating Nelson's victory over the French and Spanish in 1805 during the
Napoleonic Wars.[2][27]

Animated picture using ten frames taken by Wordsworth Donisthorpe

Ten frames of Trafalgar Square shot by Wordsworth Donisthorpe in 1890
After the clearance, development progressed slowly. The National Gallery was built
on the north side between 1832 and 1838 to a design by William Wilkins,[24] and in
1837 the Treasury approved Wilkins' plan for the laying out of the square, but it
was not put into effect.[28] In April 1840, following Wilkins' death, new plans by
Charles Barry were accepted, and construction started within weeks.[24][29] For
Barry, as for Wilkins, a major consideration was increasing the visual impact of
the National Gallery, which had been widely criticised for its lack of grandeur. He
dealt with the complex sloping site by excavating the main area to the level of the
footway between Cockspur Street and the Strand,[30] and constructing a 15-foot (4.6
m) high balustraded terrace with a roadway on the north side, and steps at each end
leading to the main level.[29] Wilkins had proposed a similar solution with a
central flight of steps.[28] Plinths were provided for sculpture and pedestals for
lighting. All the stonework was of Aberdeen granite.[29]

In 1841 it was decided that two fountains should be included in the layout.[31] The
estimated budget, excluding paving and sculptures, was £11,000.[29] The earth
removed was used to level Green Park.[30] The square was originally surfaced with
tarmacadam, which was replaced with stone in the 1920s.[32]

Trafalgar Square was opened to the public on 1 May 1844.[33]