London is one of the most fascinating cities in the world, which keeps the secrets of the history of past times, great sights. There is an opportunity for the traveler to discover an incalculable amount of knowledge and information about the culture of Great Britain.
Trafalgar Square in London is one of the most popular and famous places in all of England. It is located at the intersection of three main streets in London: the Mall, Strand and White Hall. This is a place where rallies, parades, demonstrations are held. The square is a landmark of London on a par with Big Ben, the British Museum. The square is a favorite place for tourists and residents of London, as it is on it that a huge number of national holidays are held. One of the important features of the square is that it is a "zero kilometer" - the center of London. From it begins the countdown of kilometers on all roads of the city. It is on it that every year the main Christmas tree of Great Britain is placed, which is sent from Norway in gratitude for deliverancefrom invaders in World War II.
History of Trafalgar Square
At first, the territory was called "King William IV Square", but the name was changed in honor of the symbol of Britain's victory in the war of 1805. It was built on the site where the royal stables were located and immediately received the title of central square. In honor of the memory of the war in Britain, there are a large number of exhibits in museums, but Trafalgar Square in the UK reveals this topic the most. In the battle of Cape Trafalgar, the commander-in-chief of the English fleet, Admiral Horatio Nelson, was killed. Trafalgar Square became a symbol, a column was erected on it as a sign of respect for the admiral. The hero was buried in St. Paul's Cathedral.
Nelson's Column
The square, which has become the "heart of London" for all residents, deserved this name for a reason. A monument to the great Admiral Nelson was erected on Trafalgar Square. The column was built in 1842. Its height is 44 meters. At the top of the column stands a statue of Nelson himself. The statue is decorated with bronze frescoes depicting major battles in which the admiral participated. The frescoes were made from remelted Napoleonic guns. This column is guarded by four huge lions. The monument in Trafalgar Square is one of the most important symbols of the whole of Britain. This is the history of the people of England.
Monument to Charles I
In the southern part of the square you can see a bronze monument with an interesting and sad story. This is the first statue on a horse created in Britain in 1630. Every year on the day of the execution of the king, peopleFlowers are laid on the monument. People were executed at this place, so near the monument to Charles there is a pillory on which they were executed.
Four Monuments
During the construction of the monument to Admiral Nelson, 4 more monuments were erected on the corners of Trafalgar Square. The first monument depicts George IV. The other two are the great generals Charles Napier and Henry Havelock. These people were chosen by the people of England for the erection of monuments. As for the last, fourth monument, it was never given a name.
Photos of Trafalgar Square can be seen below.
Fourth Monument
In the beginning, they wanted to install a sculpture of Wilhelm IV as the fourth monument. There were not enough funds for its construction. And until the end of the 90s, the pedestal remained empty. Since the 2000s it began to install temporary sculptures of modern art of an unusual look to attract tourists. One of the last monuments was a bottle, which contained a model of the great ship "Victoria". It was commanded by Nelson during the last battle. In 2012, a sculpture of "a boy on a game horse" was installed.
Blue Rooster
The most incomprehensible and rebellious statue of the fourth monument is the "Blue Rooster", installed in 2013. The sculpture stood out dramatically in Trafalgar Square. The author of this sculpture explained that it is a symbol of strength and restoration.
Admir alty Arch
This is one of London's top attractions. It began to be erected on behalf of Edward VII. So he wanted to preserve the memory of his mother, the majestic Queen Victoria. The arch has five passages that connect Mall Street and the square. Small passages serve for the movement of travelers on foot, and large passages for vehicles. The main entrance is closed for ordinary people, it serves only for royals.
Trafalgar Square Fountains
Many Londoners and tourists believe that the fountains near the Nelson monument are an important attraction throughout Britain. They were built in 1845 and further improved in the 20th century. The fountains are decorated with bronze sculptures of sea maidens and fish. During the last rebuild, a pump was added that shoots a jet of water up to 24 meters, and a variety of lighting.
Art Gallery
Building founded by George IV. It is located behind the majestic monument to Admiral Nelson. One of the world's greatest museums houses many historical artifacts and works of art. In it you can see the works of not only contemporary artists, but also paintings by the great creators of the Renaissance (Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Botticelli, Claude Monet and the great Leonardo da Vinci). In the gallery you can see such works of art as: "Madonna di Manchester", "Marriage A-la-Mode", "Moonlight, a Study at Millbank", "Adam and Eve", "Minerva protects Pax from Mars", "Sunflowers ". The museum offers free admission for everyone as it is owned by the London Society.
Church of Saint Martin
In the north-east of the square is the famous Church of St. Martin in England. It's hard enough to imagine London's architecture without it. It is to this church that the entire monarchist society of London comes to serve God. Not far from the temple you can see a small glass building. This is the entrance to the dungeon of the temple, where they created a small restaurant. Here you can taste many juicy and colorful masterpieces of English cuisine.
The smallest police station
There is a very unusual place on the corner of the square from the Strand side. This is a lamppost, which is the smallest police station in all of Britain. It was created due to popular strikes in 1929 in order to constantly monitor the territory. Now the janitors keep their tools for work in it.
Pigeons
The problem of London and at the same time an attraction were pigeons, as the birds multiplied very quickly and spoiled the monuments with droppings. The government used to spend a lot of money cleaning up the square, but there were bird food stalls for tourists. The number of birds increased, and this became a problem that began to threaten not only the monuments, but also all those around and visitors to the territory. The city government passed a law stating that birds cannot be fed. The area has been cleared of pests - now it is always clean and well-groomed.
Where is Trafalgar Square?
Every real tourist should visit this place at leastonce in your life. Trafalgar Square is located in London, in the area of Westminster Abbey. You can get there by almost any city bus. Bus numbers to get to the square: 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 23, 24, 29, 53, 87, 88, 91, 139, 159, 176, 453.
If you have an Oyster pass, the fare will be £1, and you can also purchase a day pass. Near the square there is a metro station "Charing Cross Road", embankment, Leicester Square. From the stations you can walk to the square. The cost of a single pass is £2. If you take a day pass to travel around London (8 pounds 40 pence), it will be much more economical than using a single one.
