Trafalgar Square is the main square of London and the country, embodying its former glory. Here Churchill announced to Londoners on 8 May 1945 about the victory in the Second World War, here at Christmas the country's main tree is put up, here rallies and celebrations are held.
The square is the property of the British Crown. Until the beginning of the 19th century, it was home to the royal stables in the centre of the capital. In 1820 George IV commissioned the architect John Nash to redesign the quarter. However, Nash died before the project was completed, and the architect Charles Barry was in charge of realising his plans. He managed to organically connect the space of the square with the building north of it on the project of William Wilkins building of the National Gallery, which was criticised for "lack of grandeur". The result was a majestic, truly imperial architectural complex worthy of a world power.
The visual centre of the square is Nelson's Column, erected here in 1843 to commemorate the victory of the British fleet over the Franco-Spanish fleet at Trafalgar. The original design of the square did not include the column, it was erected on public donations according to the project of William Railton. At the top of the 46-metre granite column is an almost six-metre high sculpture of Admiral Horatio Nelson, who commanded the British fleet during the battle and was killed on its first day by a French sniper's bullet. The bronze ornamentation on the column is cast from the metal of British cannons, the panels on the pedestal from the metal of captured French guns. The base of the column is surrounded by four giant roaring stone lions sculpted in 1867 by Edwin Landseer.
Between the column and the National Gallery in the square are two huge fountains installed here in 1840. In 1939 bronze tritons, mermaids and dolphins were added, and the fountains were named after World War I admirals Beatty and Jellicoe.
In 1841 pedestals for monuments to statesmen were erected at the four corners of the square. On one of them now stands a monument to King George IV, on another to Major-General Henry Havelock (who suppressed the Sepoy mutiny in India), on the third to General Charles James Napier, commander of the British army in India.
The fourth pedestal has been empty for a long time. From time to time, contemporary artworks have been placed on it. Now British society is discussing the idea of erecting a monument to Margaret Thatcher. The debate is very lively, and the Baroness has fierce opponents. It was on Trafalgar Square that hundreds of her haters came out with champagne after the death of the "Iron Lady", chanting "The witch is dead!". The British newspaper "Telegraph" ironically proposed to discuss whether Admiral Nelson himself was worthy of the honour of standing in the square - he was also a "controversial" figure who had an affair with Lady Hamilton.
