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Trafalgar Square, WC2
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Trafalgar Square is the geographical centre of London. It is also one of the best known places in the city - a mecca for tourists and the occasional pigeon.
The square is always filled with people, no matter what the weather or time of day. Touristy maybe, but beautiful definitely.
With a backdrop of the National Gallery, the pedestrianised square is filled with photo opportunities. There are 2 large fountains and in the centre is the 43.5 metre high Nelson's Column.
The column commemorates Admiral Nelson's victory over Napoleon off Cape Trafalgar (in Spain) in 1805. It was erected in 1843. At its base are 4 bronzed lions, which were added in 1867. When you visit they will no doubt be covered in photo-taking tourists.
Trafalgar Square is a must see. Make sure you stop by at different times of day - it is particularly stunning at night. Leave a Comment
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Everyone visits Trafalgar Square on their trip to London, so take a few minutes to sit by the fountains on a warm summer's day, do some people watching, take pics of Nelson's Column but don't be tempted to feed the pigeons! I should really get a pic of Nelson myself to put on this tip but somehow I am always drawn to the activity around him and the fountains.
In June 05 we had the hottest summers day so far in London. A few weeks previously the powers that be decided that paddling in Trafalgar Square fountains was forbidden. The tourists didn't know this and were having a great time in the water.
There were no signs telling them they couldn't indulge in a cooling dip and the Square Security certainly weren't enforcing it - in fact they would probably have enjoyed it themselves instead of wandering about in those stifling uniforms! Well done guys - why stop people having a bit of fun if they aren't doing any harm?? Leave a Comment Directions: Charing Cross or Leicester Square tubes
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 Nelson's Column,
centrepiece of Trafalgar
Square by M0B1US
Commemorating Nelson's great naval victory in 1805 over the combined Napoleonic fleets of France and Spain off the Spanish coast near Tarifa, close to Gibraltar.
The outcome of this battle was supremacy of the British navy on the high seas for the next hundred years and the end of the threat of invasion from Napoleon, leading him to change his strategies and ultimately leading to his downfall...
The battle also cost Britain her great hero of her time as Nelson was struck down by a musket ball, so a grateful nation named this London square after the battle and erected Nelson's Column in his honour...
Trafalgar square is one of London's great squares, with its great column flanked by four fabulous Lions and two attractive fountains.
It is a fantastic place to meet, being bounded by the National Gallery, St Martins, the South African and Canadian Embassies, the Admiralty Arch leading to Buckingham Place and Whitehall leading to Downing St and Westminster.
Only last year the pedestrianisation of the north side of the square was completed, turning it into an oasis free of traffic with the new steps sweeping down from the National Gallery. Part of this new development was the installation of a Costa Coffee Cafe and free public toilets.
The sheer size and grandeur of the square makes it a perfect venue for the many free entertainment events and demonstrations held here, it is also the location for quite a rowdy New Year's Eve celebration.
During Christmas the Norwegians donate a huge Christmas tree to the UK for our actions in liberating Norway from the Germans in WWII and it is erected in the square.
It is a beautiful square, probably the best in London and definitely worth a visit - in fact you will probably find yourself passing through here several times anyway if you're here for any length of time... Leave a Comment Directions: Charing Cross or Leicester Square tubes, MAP
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 Antony Gormley at Trafalgar
Square. by breughel
At least that's what Trafalgar square looked to me on my previous visits when I overlooked the column and fountains from the Portico entrance of the National Gallery.
This July 2009 Trafalgar square looked a mess.
About a quarter of the square is occupied by building structures from contemporary artist Antony Gormley's new work called "One and Other".
This consists in occupying the empty fourth plinth in the north-west corner of Trafalgar Square by volunteers who during one hour can do whatever they like on that plinth. And that goes on for 100 days, around the clock, seven days a week. It started begin July. I saw one of these volunteers on the platform a few meters high (a safety net protects from falling) making a speech which I couldn't understand because of the noise of the traffic.
There was a time where people would stand on a box in Hyde Park to make a speech.
Thanks to Antony Gormley this is now possible under Nelson's column and it is a "work of art".
NOTE: Londoners are also irritated by whats going on at Trafalgar Square.
From the Times: "The director of the National Gallery complains that the "bloody awful" state of Trafalgar Square, the noise in particular is destroying the viewing enjoyment of those whom he wishes to serve."
From the Sunday Telegraph, a comment by Janet Daley: " We have had enough of con artists".
Directions: Charing Cross or Leicester Square tubes
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 Hangin' Out wid da
PPP-Trafalgar Square by Groverdean
By the way, this is also a great place to see in the New Year although no drinking allowed! Leave a Comment Directions: Charing Cross or Leicester Square tubes
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 Nelson's Column and
Trafalgar Square by easyoar
Another popular thing to do in Trafalgar square is to climb the bronze lions that are seated around Nelson. You can also get your picture or caricature drawn there by one of the countless street artists that congregate there.
As a final point of interest, check out the statue plinth that would be to the far left of the square as you see it in the attached picture. Sometimes it is empty, and sometimes it holds the work of a guest artist - this changes frequently and as far as I know there are no plans to put a permanent display on it. Leave a Comment Directions: Charing Cross or Leicester Square tubes
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 Pigeons, Trafalgar Square by Paul2001
The square is where Londoners like to congregate when important events take place such as New Year's Eve celebrations and political demonstrations. A highlight of the visit here is the surrounding buildings. On the northeast corner is St Martin' Academy in the Fields, on the northside is the National Gallery and on the northwest corner is Canada House. All are wonderful examples of Victorian architecture and give the square a very regal atmosphere. Leave a Comment Directions: Charing Cross or Leicester Square tubes
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 Lord Nelson wounded at the
Battle of Trafalgar by angiebabe, 4 more photos
Lord Nelson was made a Baron Nelson of the Nile in 1798 and Viscount in 1801.
This square is handy for buses(which is also part of what makes bus passes such good value for tourists!esp the weekly passes), including night buses - a bus from home travels directly to or from here so is very handy for me when i need to come into the city or depart from as the New Zealand shop is nearby! or the British Tourist Office for monthly updates of the London Planner (see the relevant tip!) from whereever Ive needed to be in the city centre - up the mall from work to here or down from Tottenham Court if at our employer's education centre - and not far Charing Cross station or the tube stations of the Embankment or Picadilly Circus or Leceister Square.
Right here at the Square is the National Gallery and St Martins-in-the-Fields church which has lovely classical music evenings and its daily Cafe-in-the-Crypt in its historic Brass Rubbing Centre.
Just around the corner is the National Portrait Gallery and Covent Garden and just up further is Leceister Square.
Just south is St James Palace and the Horse Guards, Whitehall, Banqueting House, the well guarded entrance to 10 Dowling Street, and Westminster with Big Ben and just over a little is Embankment tube station and the Hungerford Bridge over to Waterloo Station and the busy South Bank area!! Leave a Comment Directions: Charing Cross or Leicester Square tubes
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Is there a London tourist who doesn’t come at some point to Trafalgar Square? It’s rightly one of the best-known and most iconic places in the city, and on a sunny day is a great place to linger a while and enjoy the sights. These include:
~ Nelson’s Column, of course – a granite column 185' high, crowned by the statue of Lord Nelson
~ the wonderful bronze lions, by Edwin Landseer, at the 4 corners of the monument (one of my earliest memories is of my law-abiding father being told off by a policeman for letting me sit on one of them!)
~ the fountains, adorned with mermaids, dolphins and tritons – a cooling sight on the hottest of days
~ the smallest police box ever built, on the SE corner of the square (now sadly used only for storage but once a facility for the famous Scotland Yard)
~ the Imperial Standards of Length, marking the point from which all distances from London are measured
The square is surrounded by great buildings, including the National Gallery on the north side, St Martin in the Fields (a beautiful Wren church, currently undergoing renovation) to the north-east, South Africa House (for years the site of a permanent anti-Apartheid protest, now thankfully no longer necessary) on the east and Canada House on the west. To the south, wonderful views can be had down Whitehall to the Houses of Parliament at the end – check out my general tips for a suggested walk that will take you through much of this area.
At Christmas the square is extra-special, with the large tree donated every year by the Norwegian government (in gratitude for Britain's assistance during WW2) a focal point for carol singing and in recent years a European-style Christmas Market. The square is also the centre for major celebrations (when London was awarded the Olympic Games, for example, and when England won the Rugby World Cup) and for demonstrations. In fact, there is nearly always something going on here - so do come and join in! Directions: Nearest tube is Charing Cross (Bakerloo or Northern lines) or Leicester Square (Piccadilly or Northern lines)
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The main hub of acitivity in central London is TRAFALGAR SQUARE which was built in 1843 in honour of Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson and his great naval victory in 1805 at the Battle of Trafalgar.
The Square is bounded by The National Gallery, St. Martin in the Fields, the South African and Canadian Embassies, the Admiralty Arch and Whitehall.
When I was there the first time, I do remember there being so many pigeons and people feeding them and what a mess they made there. It seems that is discouraged now and only a handful of pigeons are present now. Leave a Comment Directions: Charing Cross or Leicester Square tubes
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