Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is a square in central London that commemmorates the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), a naval battle of the Napoleonic Wars. The area had been the site of the King's Mews since the time of Edward I. In the 1820s the Prince Regent engaged the landscape architect John Nash to redevelop the area. Nash cleared the square as part of his Charing Cross Improvement Scheme. The present architecture of the square is due to Sir Charles Barry and was completed in 1845.

The square consists of a large central area surrounded by roadways. Underpasses attached to Charing Cross underground station allow pedestrians to avoid traffic. The square is a popular tourist spot in London, and is particularly famous for its pigeons (rock doves). The desirability of the birds' presence has long been contentious: their droppings look ugly on buildings and damage the stonework, and the flock, estimated at 35,000 is considered to be a health hazard. Since 2000, bird seed to feed them is no longer sold in the square, and efforts are being made to discourage them.

In the middle of the square is Nelson's Column, surrounded by fountains and four huge bronze lions sculpted by Sir Edward Landseer[?]. The column is topped by a statue of Lord Nelson, the admiral who commanded the British Fleet at Trafalgar.

On the north side of the square is the National Gallery. The square adjoins The Mall via Admiralty Arch. To the south is Whitehall, to the east the Strand, to the north Charing Cross Road.

At the corners of the square are four plinths. Three of them hold statues: George IV (1840s), Henry Havelock[?] (1861), and Sir Charles James Napier[?] (1855). Mayor of London Ken Livingstone controversially expressed a desire to see these replaced with people more relevant to the 21st century.

The Fourth Plinth

The fourth plinth on the northwest corner was intended to hold a statue of William IV, but remained empty due to insufficient funds. Later, agreement could not be reached over which monarch or military hero to place there.

In 1999, the RSA (Royal Society of Arts) conceived the idea of the Fourth Plinth Project, which sought to temporarily occupy the plinth with a succession of works commissioned from three contemporary artists. These were:

• "Ecce Homo" by Mark Wallinger
• "Regardless of History" by Bill Woodrow
• "Monument" by Rachel Whiteread

Whiteread, already notable for her controversial Turner Prize-winning work "House", made a cast of the plinth in transparent resin, and placed the copy upside-down on top of the original. Following the exhibition project, some wish to see it continue in this role.

The Greater London Authority's Trafalgar Square fourth plinth committee is also considering a permanent statue -- the fourth plinth remains the subject of debate. On March 24, 2003 an appeal was launched by Wendy Woods, the widow of the anti-apartheid journalist Donald Woods[?], hoping to raise £400,000 to pay for a 9 ft high statue of Nelson Mandela by Ian Walters[?]. The relevance of the location is that South Africa House, the South African embassy, scene of many anti-apartheid demonstrations, is also located on Trafalgar Square.

Redevelopment

In late 2002 work began to develop the north side of the square. The work involves demolishing part of the wall, and building a wide set of stairs. Plans for a large staircase had long been discussed, even in original plans for the square. The stairs will lead to the National Gallery over a newly pedestrianized area. Previously access between the Square and the Gallery was via two busy crossings at the north east and north west corners of the square. The pedestrianization plan has been carried out in the face of protests from both road-users and pedestrians concerned that the diversion of traffic will lead to greater congestion elsewhere in London.

Access

Nearest London Underground station:

• Charing Cross (Northern, Bakerloo lines)
• Embankment (District, Circle lines)
• Leicester Square (Northern, Piccadilly lines)

External Links

• http://www.camvista.com/england/london/trafsq.php3 (Webcam in Trafalgar Square)
• http://www.speel.demon.co.uk/other/trafalga.htm Detailed overview of sculpture at Trafalgar Square
• 4th plinth project: http://www.rsa.org.uk/projects/project_closeup.asp?id=1006
• Whiteread's "Monument": http://www.sculpture.org.uk/work/000000100159

Common misspelling and questions (FAQ)

rafalgar-square  tafalgar-square  trfalgar-square  traalgar-square  traflgar-square  trafagar-square  trafalar-square  trafalgr-square  trafalga-square  trafalgarsquare  trafalgar-quare  trafalgar-suare  trafalgar-sqare  trafalgar-squre  trafalgar-squae  trafalgar-squar  rtafalgar-square  tarfalgar-square  trfaalgar-square  traaflgar-square  traflagar-square  trafaglar-square  trafalagr-square  trafalgra-square  trafalga-rsquare  trafalgars-quare  trafalgar-qsuare  trafalgar-suqare  trafalgar-sqaure  trafalgar-squrae  trafalgar-squaer  trafalgar-squar  ttrafalgar-square  trrafalgar-square  traafalgar-square  traffalgar-square  trafaalgar-square  trafallgar-square  trafalggar-square  trafalgaar-square  trafalgarr-square  trafalgar--square  trafalgar-ssquare  trafalgar-sqquare  trafalgar-squuare  trafalgar-squaare  trafalgar-squarre  trafalgar-squaree  5rafalgar-square  rrafalgar-square  frafalgar-square  6rafalgar-square  grafalgar-square  6rafalgar-square  yrafalgar-square  grafalgar-square  t4afalgar-square  teafalgar-square  tdafalgar-square  t5afalgar-square  tfafalgar-square  t5afalgar-square  ttafalgar-square  tfafalgar-square  trqfalgar-square  trwfalgar-square  trzfalgar-square  trwfalgar-square  trsfalgar-square  trzfalgar-square  traralgar-square  tradalgar-square  tracalgar-square  tratalgar-square  travalgar-square  tratalgar-square  tragalgar-square  travalgar-square  trafqlgar-square  trafwlgar-square  trafzlgar-square  trafwlgar-square  trafslgar-square  trafzlgar-square  trafaogar-square  trafakgar-square  trafa,gar-square  trafapgar-square  trafa.gar-square  trafapgar-square  trafa;gar-square  trafa.gar-square  trafaltar-square  trafalfar-square  trafalvar-square  trafalyar-square  trafalbar-square  trafalyar-square  trafalhar-square  trafalbar-square  trafalgqr-square  trafalgwr-square  trafalgzr-square  trafalgwr-square  trafalgsr-square  trafalgzr-square  trafalga4-square  trafalgae-square  trafalgad-square  trafalga5-square  trafalgaf-square  trafalga5-square  trafalgat-square  trafalgaf-square  trafalgar0square  trafalgarpsquare  trafalgar[square  trafalgar-wquare  trafalgar-aquare  trafalgar-zquare  trafalgar-equare  trafalgar-xquare  trafalgar-equare  trafalgar-dquare  trafalgar-xquare  trafalgar-s1uare  trafalgar-s2uare  trafalgar-sauare  trafalgar-s2uare  trafalgar-swuare  trafalgar-sauare  trafalgar-sq7are  trafalgar-sqyare  trafalgar-sqhare  trafalgar-sq8are  trafalgar-sqjare  trafalgar-sq8are  trafalgar-sqiare  trafalgar-sqjare  trafalgar-squqre  trafalgar-squwre  trafalgar-squzre  trafalgar-squwre  trafalgar-squsre  trafalgar-squzre  trafalgar-squa4e  trafalgar-squaee  trafalgar-squade  trafalgar-squa5e  trafalgar-squafe  trafalgar-squa5e  trafalgar-squate  trafalgar-squafe  trafalgar-squar3  trafalgar-squarw  trafalgar-squars  trafalgar-squar4  trafalgar-squard  trafalgar-squar4  trafalgar-squarr  trafalgar-squard  yrafalgar-square  tyrafalgar-square  trafalgar-squares 


Korner. "We were talking about amusing." "He was amusing," persisted Mrs. Korner, now in tears. "I meant that third act she was threatening to return home to her mother, which, if the idea that has occurred to you." "But you--you were so awful," whimpered Mrs. Korner. "What did I do?" questioned Mr. Korner. "You came hammering at the door--" "Yes, yes, I remember that. I wanted my supper, and you poached me a note of tragedy. "You made me say my tables--my nine times!" Mr. Korner looked at Mrs. Korner, and Mrs. Korner looked at Mr. only pretending?" "Really," confessed Mr. Korner. "For the first time in my life. If forgive me." *** End of Project Gutenberg etext of Mrs. Korner Sins Her Mercies.