Trafalgar Square, London (must see)
Britain鈥檚 most self-important plaza, Trafalgar Square is arguably the closest thing to London鈥檚 beating heart (if London had ventricles paved in pigeons and protest signs). Want the official center of the city? That鈥檚 actually a tiny traffic island called Charing Cross, just south of the square. Yep, all distances to London are measured from there. Not Buckingham Palace. Not Big Ben. A glorified roundabout...
Now, if you're into obscure imperial measurements, Trafalgar鈥檚 got you covered. Nestled behind the caf茅, you鈥檒l find the Imperial Standard measures: inches, feet, yards, chains, perches, poles... basically, the greatest hits of Victorian measuring tape. Originally installed in 1876, they were moved in 2003 when the north terrace was pedestrianized鈥攂ecause who needs traffic when you鈥檝e got trivia?
The square gets its name from the Battle of Trafalgar, a Napoleonic showdown where Admiral Lord Nelson heroically defeated the French and Spanish fleets in 1805... and promptly died doing so. 30 years later, the square got its now-famous name. Then, in 1843, they added Nelson鈥檚 Column, a towering tribute built from Devon granite, with bronze panels depicting his greatest hits: Saint Vincent, The Nile, Copenhagen, and Trafalgar鈥攚hich, to be fair, did earn him the naming rights.
By 1868, the stone lions guarding the column were considered too puny for British pride, so the sculptor Edwin Landseer crafted bronze ones instead, with remarkable anatomical precision. Beautiful, grand, majestic鈥攅xcept, apparently, he got one detail hilariously wrong: he sculpted the back of the lions as if they had beanbag backs (real lions don鈥檛 sag like that).
Surrounded by fountains, tourists, and鈥攗ntil recently鈥攁 whole lot of feathered freeloaders, Trafalgar was once London鈥檚 top pigeon hangout. That is, until a mayor declared them public enemy number one and evicted the birdseed dealers. The pigeons, scandalized, have never quite forgiven the city.
Tip:
Plant yourself on the steps, let the sounds of the city wash over you, and watch the sun dip behind Nelson鈥檚 heroic silhouette. Or just use it as your springboard to the rest of London鈥攜ou鈥檙e already at the center, after all.
Now, if you're into obscure imperial measurements, Trafalgar鈥檚 got you covered. Nestled behind the caf茅, you鈥檒l find the Imperial Standard measures: inches, feet, yards, chains, perches, poles... basically, the greatest hits of Victorian measuring tape. Originally installed in 1876, they were moved in 2003 when the north terrace was pedestrianized鈥攂ecause who needs traffic when you鈥檝e got trivia?
The square gets its name from the Battle of Trafalgar, a Napoleonic showdown where Admiral Lord Nelson heroically defeated the French and Spanish fleets in 1805... and promptly died doing so. 30 years later, the square got its now-famous name. Then, in 1843, they added Nelson鈥檚 Column, a towering tribute built from Devon granite, with bronze panels depicting his greatest hits: Saint Vincent, The Nile, Copenhagen, and Trafalgar鈥攚hich, to be fair, did earn him the naming rights.
By 1868, the stone lions guarding the column were considered too puny for British pride, so the sculptor Edwin Landseer crafted bronze ones instead, with remarkable anatomical precision. Beautiful, grand, majestic鈥攅xcept, apparently, he got one detail hilariously wrong: he sculpted the back of the lions as if they had beanbag backs (real lions don鈥檛 sag like that).
Surrounded by fountains, tourists, and鈥攗ntil recently鈥攁 whole lot of feathered freeloaders, Trafalgar was once London鈥檚 top pigeon hangout. That is, until a mayor declared them public enemy number one and evicted the birdseed dealers. The pigeons, scandalized, have never quite forgiven the city.
Tip:
Plant yourself on the steps, let the sounds of the city wash over you, and watch the sun dip behind Nelson鈥檚 heroic silhouette. Or just use it as your springboard to the rest of London鈥攜ou鈥檙e already at the center, after all.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in London. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Trafalgar Square on Map
Sight Name: Trafalgar Square
Sight Location: London, England (See walking tours in London)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: London, England (See walking tours in London)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in London, England
Create Your Own Walk in London
Creating your own self-guided walk in London is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Covent Garden Walking Tour
A shopping and entertainment hub on the eastern fringes of London's West End, Covent Garden is a district historically associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market 鈥� currently a shopping spot popular with locals and tourists alike.
Once a slum area, today the north of the district is given over to independent shops centered on Neal's Yard and Seven Dials. Both places offer... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Once a slum area, today the north of the district is given over to independent shops centered on Neal's Yard and Seven Dials. Both places offer... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Bridges of London
Around thirty bridges span the Thames river in London, each with its own story. Our self-guided walk takes you to see nine such historical structures located in the heart of the city, starting from the storied Westminster Bridge and ending at the iconic Tower Bridge.
The latter has stood over the River Thames in London since 1894 and is one of the finest, most recognizable bridges in the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.2 Km or 3.2 Miles
The latter has stood over the River Thames in London since 1894 and is one of the finest, most recognizable bridges in the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.2 Km or 3.2 Miles
Charles Dickens Tour
Imagine a world without Dickens. No Oliver Twist, no Ebenezer Scrooge, no brooding orphans wandering foggy streets with suspiciously eloquent vocabularies. Tough to picture, right? That鈥檚 because Charles Dickens didn鈥檛 just leave a mark on literature鈥攈e practically steamrolled through it in a horse-drawn carriage. Recognized as the undisputed heavyweight of Victorian storytelling, he... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles
Harry Potter Walking Tour II
The Harry Potter movies and London go together like Butterbeer and a cold winter night at Hogsmeade. While much of the magical world was brought to life with computer-generated images and studio sets, quite a few iconic scenes were filmed right in the heart of the British capital, transforming ordinary city spots into wizarding landmarks. Here's a look at six more London locations where the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
City of London Walking Tour
The City of London, often referred to simply as the City (with the capital C), is the historic and financial core of the British capital. Despite being just over one square mile in area (for which reason it is also lovingly dubbed the Square Mile), it holds immense importance as the original site of Londinium, the Roman settlement founded circa 43 AD. Over the centuries, this small patch of land... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.6 Km or 2.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.6 Km or 2.9 Miles
Beatles London Walking Tour
The Beatles, often hailed as one of the most influential bands in music history, began their journey in Liverpool in 1960, but it was in London that they truly became global icons. While Liverpool gave them their start, the British capital became their professional playground during the peak of Beatlemania. From recording sessions and business deals to public performances and personal milestones,... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.8 Km or 3 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.8 Km or 3 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
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Most visitors to London consider shopping as part of their must-do London experience. From street markets to Victorian arcades to snobbish Sloane Square to busy Oxford Street, there are a host of shops selling items which typically represent this vibrant city. Whether you are shopping for souvenirs...