Nelson's column

• Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square honours Horatio Nelson, the greatest of English naval heroes, and commemorates Britain’s triumph over France
• Lord Nelson was killed at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805
• The monument, designed by William Railton, was built between 1840 and 1843. 
• Lord Nelson’s statue, 18 feet (5.5 m) high and sculpted of Craigleith sandstone by Edward Hodges Baily, surveys Trafalgar Square from the top of a fluted granite column, and the entire monument measures 169 feet (51.59 m).
• The column is capped by bronze sculptural elements cast from melted cannon from the wreckage of an 18th-century British warship. 
• The base of the column features four bronze reliefs, cast from captured French guns, of Nelson’s naval victories that were added between 1849 and 1854.
• Column of the Corinthian Order
• The four bronze lions around its base, designed by Sir Edwin Landseer, were added in 1867.
• Around the time of the construction of the column, there was much debate about whether or not Britain needed such a grandiose memorial to Lord Nelson. Some people felt that he was already honoured enough through his many statues around London, while others argued that he deserved this special tribute due to his heroic actions during the Battle of Trafalgar.
• Nelson’s Column has been described as “the most important single work of Victorian public art” and “a symbol of Britain’s imperial power”.
• The column has been used as a symbol of national pride and unity throughout history, with various events taking place at its foot over the years. For example, it served as a gathering point for protests against the Boer War in South Africa in the late 19th century, and more recently, it has been used as a stage for political rallies and demonstrations.
• In addition to being a monument to Lord Nelson, it also serves as a reminder of Britain’s rich history and cultural heritage.