Page 108 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - London

106  L ONDON AREA B Y AREA

1 Trafalgar Square
WC2. Map 13 B3. 1 Charing Cross.
London’s main venue for rallies
and outdoor public meetings
was conceived by John Nash
and was mostly constructed
during the 1830s. The 50-m
(165-ft) column commemorates
Admiral Lord Nelson, Britain’s
most famous sea lord, who died
heroically at the Battle of
Trafalgar in 1805. It dates from
1842; 14 stonemasons held a
dinner on its flat top before the
statue of Nelson was finally
installed. Edwin Landseer’s four Filming Howard’s End at Admiralty Arch
lions guard its base. The north
side of the square is now taken 3 National Gallery in the crypt, a religious book-
up by the National Gallery (see See pp108–11. shop, and the London Brass
pp108–11), with Canada House Rubbing Centre. Lunchtime and
on the west side and South evening concerts are held in
Africa House on the east. The 4 St Martin-in-the- the church and in the café.
restored Grand Buildings on the Fields
south side were built in 5 National Portrait
1880 as the Grand Hotel. Trafalgar Sq WC2. Map 13 B3.
Three plinths support Tel 020 7766 1100. 1 Charing Cross. Gallery
statues of the great and Open daily. Closed for sightseeing 2 St Martin’s Place WC2. Map 13 B3.
the good, including King during services (at which all are Tel 020 7306 0055. 1 Leicester Sq,
welcome). 5 daily; check website for
George IV; funds ran out details as times vary. 7 9 - = Charing Cross. Open 10am–6pm
before the fourth plinth, London Brass Rubbing Centre Open Sat–Wed, 10am–9pm Thu & Fri.
on the northwest corner, 10am–6pm Mon–Wed, 10am–8pm Closed 24–26 Dec. & for some
could be filled. It now Thu–Sat, 11:30am–5pm Sun (last brass special exhibitions. ^ 7 shop
hosts one of London’s rubbing entry 1 hr before close). entrance. 9 0 - =
most idiosyncratic art Concerts: See Enter tainment p345. ∑ npg.org.uk
displays, as artworks ∑ stmartin-in-the-fields.org
are commissioned Too often ignored in favour
specially for it, and There has been a church on of the National Gallery next
change each year. this site since the 13th century. door, this fascinating museum
Many famous people were recounts Britain’s development
Nelson’s statue buried here, including Charles II’s through portraits of its main
over looking the square mistress Nell Gwynne, and the characters, giving faces to the
painters William Hogarth and names familiar from history
Joshua Reynolds. The present books. The gallery’s millennium
2 Admiralty Arch church was designed by James development project, the
Gibbs and completed in 1726. Ondaatje Wing, which opened
The Mall SW1. Map 13 B3.
1 Charing Cross. In architectural terms it was one in May 2000, created 50 per
of the most influential ever built;
Designed in 1911, this triple it was much copied in the
arch way was part of Aston United States, where it became
Webb’s scheme to rebuild The a model for the Colonial style
Mall as a grand processional of church- building. An unusual
route honouring Queen Victoria. feature of St Martin’s spacious
The arch effectively seals the interior is the royal box at
eastern end of The Mall, gallery level on the left of
although traffic passes through the altar.
the smaller side gates, and From 1914 until 1927 the
separates courtly London from crypt was used as a shelter
the hurly-burly of Trafalgar for homeless soldiers and
Square. The central gate is others; during World War II it
opened only for royal pro- was an air-raid shelter. Today
cessions. There are plans to turn it helps the homeless by
the Grade I-listed building into providing a lunchtime soup Chandos portrait of William Shakespeare in
a five-star hotel. kitchen. It also contains a café the Tudor and Jacobean Galleries

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