Nelson's Column
Nelson's Column is a
monument in the centre of
Trafalgar Square in
London.
It was built between
1840 and
1843 to commemorate Admiral
Horatio Nelson, who died at the
Battle of Trafalgar in
1805. It consists of a 5.5m (18ft) statue of Nelson on top of a
56 m granite column. The statue faces south, towards the
Palace of Westminster. The top of the
Corinthian column is decorated with bronze
acanthus leaves cast from British cannon. The square
pedestal is decorated with four
bronze panels, cast from captured French guns, depicting Nelson's four great victories.
The monument was designed by architect
William Railton in
1838. His original 1:22-scale stone model is exhibited at the
National Maritime Museum in
Greenwich.
In May 2003 a
BASE jumper parachuted from the top of the column to draw attention to the Chinese occupation of
Tibet.
A similar monument,
Nelson's Pillar, was erected previously in
Dublin in
1808 and blown up by a rogue
IRA group in
1966.
- John Timbs, Curiosities of London, 1867
- Nelson's Column was the first of many English buildings to be abducted in the animated film,
Freddie as F.R.O.7.
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