Tourist sights in London like Nelson’s Column are part of what makes the city so special. Situated in Trafalgar Square, this structure is a tribute to the famed Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, hero of four important naval battles.
The memorial is a beautiful example of how fond Londoners have always been of monuments and the symbolic messages they send.
Admiral Nelson lost an eye and an arm, and eventually his life in service to crown and country at the Battle of Trafalgar, and in return he will preside over Trafalgar Square for eternity; not such a bad fate for a Norfolk lad who started his career as just another seasick Ordinary Seaman.
The column itself is billed as being 185 feet tall, but during a 2006 refurbishment this figure was questioned when laser surveys of the structure measured its height as being 169.5 feet. The memorial was constructed between 1840 and 1843, and the statue of Nelson at the top of the Corinthian column stands 18 feet tall.
There is an 1:22-scale model in stone of this structure on display at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.
Many of the elements of the memorial have special meaning; the large acanthus leaves that adorn the top of the column were cast from bronze reclaimed from British cannons. At the bottom of the column are four bronze relief panels depicting Nelson’s victories that were made by melting down captured French guns. The four large lions that seem to guard the base of the column were added in 1867 and were designed by Sir Edwin Landseer.
The column has been a focal point in London since its very beginning, and as such has had its share of oddness.
Climbing the column seems quite popular; John Noakes of the BBC children's show “Blue Peter” did it in the 1970's and Gary Wilmot did it in 1989 in full Victorian dress, even pausing to take tea at the very top.
This world famous tourist sight can be irresistible to publicity seekers.
Visiting Nelson’s Column
Address: Trafalgar Square, Westminster, SW1Y 5BJ
Photo courtesy: dtsomp
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