Trafalgar Square is a square in central London, England. With its position in the heart of London, it is a popular tourist attraction; its trademarks are Nelson’s Column, which stands in the centre, the four lion statues that guard the Column, and the large number of pigeons that live in the square. Other statues and sculptures are also on display in the square, including a fourth plinth displaying changing pieces of contemporary art, and it is a frequent site of political demonstrations.

The name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), a British naval victory of the Napoleonic Wars. The original name was to have been “King William the Fourth’s Square”, but George Ledwell Taylor suggested the name “Trafalgar Square”.

The northern area of the square had been the site of the King’s Mews since the time of Edward I, while the southern end was the original Charing Cross, where the Strand from the City met Whitehall, coming north from Westminster. As the midpoint between these twin cities, Charing Cross is to this day considered the heart of London, from which all distances today are measured.

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.

I have seen this square so many times on different movies, and the one that stuck with the most was the Parent Trap, where the twin sisters change place and Hallie visits London, and when she arrived, they showed so many of London’s Sites. Its really a beautiful place to be, and it does somehow feel surreal for me. Reminding me I am really in London! Woohoo!

On this day in History..

• Mon, Sep 15 2003 - 2003
• Runaway nose and the sore in my throat.... - 2005
• Of Pasty with Raspberry Sauce - 2005
• Kids from Bounce : Part Duex - 2006
• Dora's not coming after all... - 2006
• Thosai : A Indian Breakfast - 2006
• A slow and steady morning... - 2007
• London Calling :- Big Ben - 2008
• London Calling :- Its a small world after all - 2008

Tags: England, london, Photos, trafalgar square, Travel

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