Trafalgar Square: a square for the people of London
Left:The current look of Trafalgar square, February 2017. Right: A horse drawn bus, late XIX century. Sources: Maitane Sardón/ Wikimedia Commons
When thinking of London, the Big Ben may be the first image that comes to mind. But there’s a place that portrays London’s identity better than any other historical monument in the city.
Trafalgar square: the square of the people, the square where Londoners--no matter their colour, origin, class, ideology or religious belief--gather, demonstrate, celebrate, party, or even watch Oscar-nominated films to protest President’s Trump’s travel ban. It's the place for every Londoner to make their voice heard. No matter what they want to say, the square will listen.
Last January, demonstrators gathered at Trafalgar Square on the occasion of the Women's March on London. Source: Wikimedia Commons
The city’s iconic landmark dates back to the 4th century. At that time and until the 17th century, the area now occupied by the square was the courtyard of the Royal Mews Stabling. It was after George IV moved the mews to the Buckingham Palace when British architect John Nash initiated its redevelopment, leading to the creation of the square in 1844.
Named after the famous battle that took place off the coast of the Spanish Cape of Trafalgar in 1805 and to celebrate the victory of the British naval float, today, Trafalgar square is everything but a proud, closed nationalistic spot.
From the vantage point of the magnificent National Gallery that sits in the background, one can observe a cultural melting pot with numerous languages reverberating through the whole square.
In fact, Trafalgar has witnessed independence celebrations of countries that have lived under the British Empire: India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Canada, Australia and Ireland are just some examples. Trafalgar celebrates the Chinese New Year, a day when bustling crowds attend workshops, dance and enjoy martial arts displays. And for the last three years, Africa has also participated in the square with Sadiq Khan being the first London mayor to ever attend the event.
But all that glitters is not gold and Trafalgar Square mirrors some of the contradictions of a country where immigration concerns are on the rise but whose capital’s mayor has created a campaign in favour of immigrants following the referendum results.
It's the square of the people, but it has also become a hub of luxury residential development with prices reported to have soared by 33% in recent years--a small glimpse of London's housing crisis. But that's a topic for another time.
Don’t miss this historical landmark, discover Trafalgar Square and embrace London’s culture. Check out the Mayor of London official website for coming events.
