Trafalgar Square (/trəˈfælɡər/ trə-FAL-gər) is a public square in the City of Westminster, Central London, established in the early 19th century around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. The square's name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, the British naval victory in the Napoleonic Wars over France and Spain that took place on 21 October 1805 off the coast of Cape Trafalgar.
The site around Trafalgar Square had been a significant landmark since the 1200s. For centuries, distances measured from Charing Cross have served as location markers. The site of the present square formerly contained the elaborately designed, enclosed courtyard, King's Mews. After George IV moved the mews to Buckingham Palace, the area was redeveloped by John Nash, but progress was slow after his death, and the square did not open until 1844. The 169-foot (52 m) Nelson's Column at its centre is guarded by four lion statues. A number of commemorative statues and sculptures occupy the square, but the Fourth Plinth, left empty since 1840, has been host to contemporary art since 1999. Prominent buildings facing the square include the National Gallery, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Canada House, and South Africa House.
The square has been used for community gatherings and political demonstrations, including Bloody Sunday in 1887, the culmination of the first Aldermaston March, anti-war protests, and campaigns against climate change. A Christmas tree has been donated to the square by Norway since 1947 and is erected for twelve days before and after Christmas Day. The square is a centre of annual celebrations on New Year's Eve. It was well known for its feral pigeons until their removal in the early 21st century.
History[]
| Route | Service | Date |
|---|---|---|
| N1 | Trafalgar Square - Barnet Church | 17 July 1992 - 24 June 1995 |
| Trafalgar Square - Plumstead Garage | 14 November 1998 - 29 April 2000 | |
| N2 | Trafalgar Square - West Norwood | 13 April 1984 - 27 October 1984 |
| Trafalgar Square - Crystal Palace | 27 November 1999 - 1 April 2017 | |
| N5 | Trafalgar Square - Edgware | 18 July 1992 - present |
| N6 | Trafalgar Square - Willesden Garage | 18 July 1992 - 29 January 1994 |
| N8 | Trafalgar Square - Newbury Park / Woodford Wells | 15 July 1995 - 26 June 1999 |
| N9 | Trafalgar Square - Palmers Green | 9 February 1990 - 26 June 1993 |
| Trafalgar Square - Kingston | 25 February 1994 - 8 March 1997 | |
| N11 | Trafalgar Square - Turnham Green | 28 October 1989 - 26 February 1994 |
| Trafalgar Square - Ealing Broadway | 29 April 2023 - present | |
| N13 | Trafalgar Square - North Finchley | 13 April 1984 - 27 October 1984 |
| Trafalgar Square - Barnet Church | 27 October 1984 - 23 June 1995 | |
| Trafalgar Square - North Finchley | 23 June 1995 - 1 September 2001 | |
| N14 | Trafalgar Square - Chessington | 27 April 1991 - 18 August 1995 |
| N17 | Trafalgar Square - Harrow Weald Garage | 31 October 1992 - 28 January 1994 |
| N18 | Trafalgar Square - Edgware | 24 April 1985 - 25 September 1987 |
| Trafalgar Square - Edgware / Watford Junction | 25 September 1987 - 28 October 1989 | |
| Trafalgar Square - Watford Junction | 28 October 1989 - 29 January 1994 | |
| Trafalgar Square - Harrow Weald | 29 January 1994 - present | |
| N20 | Trafalgar Square - Barnet Church / Potters Bar Garage | 24 June 1995 - 25 July 1998 |
| Trafalgar Square - Barnet Church | 25 July 1998 - present | |
| N21 | Trafalgar Square - North Finchley | 13 April 1984 - 18 July 1992 |
| Trafalgar Square - Cockfosters | 18 July 1992 - 23 June 1995 | |
| Trafalgar Square - Foots Cray / Sidcup | 28 July 1995 - 8 November 1997 | |
| Trafalgar Square - Foots Cray / Chislehurst | 8 November 1997 - 12 October 2002 | |
| Trafalgar Square - Foots Cray | 12 October 2002 - 10 October 2009 | |
| Trafalgar Square - Bexleyheath | 10 October 2009 - present | |
| N25 | Trafalgar Square - Harold Hill / Romford | 15 July 1995 - 26 June 1999 |
| Trafalgar Square - Harold Hill / Barkingside | 26 June 1999 - 29 April 2000 | |
| Trafalgar Square - Harold Hill / Hainault | 29 April 2000 - 26 June 2004 | |
| N26 | Trafalgar Square - Walthamstow | 15 July 1995 - 27 April 2001 |
| Trafalgar Square - Chingford | 27 April 2001 - present | |
| N29 | Trafalgar Square - Enfield Town | 27 February 1982 - 9 February 1990 |
| Trafalgar Square - Ponders Green Garage | 28 April 1997 - 14 January 2006 | |
| Trafalgar Square - Enfield Town | 14 January 2006 - present | |
| N35 | Trafalgar Square - Clapham Junction | 26 April 1997 - 29 April 2000 |
| N36 | Trafalgar Square - Grove Park | 9 October 1993 - 27 April 1996 |
| N38 | Trafalgar Square - Chingford | 14 July 1995 - 19 July 1997 |
| N41 | Trafalgar Square - Tottenham Hale | 5 February 2005 - present |
| N43 | Trafalgar Square - Archway | 23 June 1995 - 12 October 1996 |
| Trafalgar Square - Muswell Hill Broadway | 12 October 1996 - 31 January 1998 | |
| Trafalgar Square - Friern Barnet | 31 January 1998 - 5 February 2005 | |
| N44 | Trafalgar Square - Sutton | 18 August 1995 - 26 April 1996 |
| N47 | Trafalgar Square - St Mary Cray | 20 January 2001 - 12 September 2015 |
| N50 | Trafalgar Square - Ruislip | 11 July 1987 - 21 May 1993 |
| N51 | Trafalgar Square - Woolwich Arsenal | 8 October 1993 - 22 July 1995 |
| N53 | Trafalgar Square - Plumstead | 15 February 2003 - 20 March 2004 |
| 15 June 2019 - present | ||
| N61 | Trafalgar Square - Sidcup | 9 October 1993 - 22 July 1995 |
| N67 | Trafalgar Square - Egham | 18 July 1992 - 24 February 1994 |
| N68 | Trafalgar Square - Purley Cross | 27 March 1999 - 28 April 2000 |
| N70 | Trafalgar Square - Bromley South | 28 October 1989 - 27 April 1996 |
| Trafalgar Square - Norwood Junction | 27 April 1996 - 3 October 1999 | |
| N71 | Trafalgar Square - Crystal Palace | 8 October 1993 - 26 April 1996 |
| N73 | Trafalgar Square - Walthamstow Central | 22 September 1989 - 29 April 2000 |
| N74 | Trafalgar Square - Bromley North | 13 April 1984 - 1 November 1985 |
| N76 | Trafalgar Square - Leytonstone | 13 April 1984 - 25 October 1984 |
| Trafalgar Square - Wanstead | 26 October 1984 - 8 August 1986 | |
| Trafalgar Square - Hainault | 9 August 1986 - 13 July 1995 | |
| N77 | Trafalgar Square - Thamesmead | 13 April 1984 - 27 July 1995 |
| N78 | Trafalgar Square - South Croydon | 13 April 1984 - 23 May 1987 |
| Trafalgar Square - New Addington | 24 May 1987 - 11 March 1994 | |
| N81 | Trafalgar Square - Gillingham | 8 October 1993 - 23 July 1999 |
| Trafalgar Square - Bexleyheath | 23 July 1999 - 28 June 2002 | |
| N82 | Trafalgar Square - Thamesmead | 27 October 1984 - 29 October 1989 |
| Trafalgar Square - Woolwich Arsenal / Welling Corner | 29 October 1989 - 8 August 1993 | |
| N83 | Trafalgar Square - Tottenham Garage | 18 July 1961 - 13 April 1984 |
| Trafalgar Square - Wood Green | 13 April 1984 - 24 November 1995 | |
| N84 | Trafalgar Square - Barking | 28 September 1960 - 1 July 1964 |
| Trafalgar Square - Becontree Heath | 1 July 1964 - 13 April 1984 | |
| N85 | Trafalgar Square - Grove Park | 13 April 1984 - 8 October 1993 |
| N86 | Trafalgar Square - Crystal Palace | 13 April 1984 - 8 October 1993 |
| N87 | Trafalgar Square - Streatham (Loop) | 25 April 1975 - 27 October 1989 |
| Trafalgar Square - Streatham Trafalgar Square - Surbiton |
27 October 1989 - 27 April 1991 | |
| Trafalgar Square - Streatham Trafalgar Square - Hampton Court |
27 April 1991 - 18 August 1995 | |
| N88 | Trafalgar Square - Sutton | 9 August 1985 - 22 May 1987 |
| Trafalgar Square - East Croydon | 22 May 1987 - 18 August 1995 | |
| N89 | Trafalgar Square - Erith | 28 June 2002 - present |
| N91 | Trafalgar Square - Hornsey Rise | 25 February 1994 - 23 June 1995 |
| Trafalgar Square - Cockfosters/Potters Bar | 23 June 1995 - present | |
| N92 | Trafalgar Square - Archway | 28 September 1960 - 13 April 1984 |
| Trafalgar Square - Muswell Hill Broadway | 26 October 1984 - 21 June 1986 | |
| Trafalgar Square - Potters Bar Garage | 21 June 1986 - 25 September 1987 | |
| N93 | Trafalgar Square - Hampstead Heath | 1 February 1961 - 27 October 1984 |
| 18 July 1992 - 22 June 1995 | ||
| N94 | Trafalgar Square - Edgware | 9 August 1985 - 19 January 1991 |
| N95 | Trafalgar Square - Becontree Heath | 28 September 1960 - 15 June 1965 |
| N96 | Trafalgar Square - Chingford | 13 April 1984 - 14 July 1995 |
| N97 | Trafalgar Square - Heathrow Airport | 25 February 1994 - 28 September 2001 |
| Trafalgar Square - Hammersmith | 28 September 2001 - present | |
| N98 | Trafalgar Square - Stanmore | 19 August 1995 - 29 April 2000 |
| N99 | Trafalgar Square - Queensbury | 17 July 1992 - 18 August 1995 |
| Trafalgar Square - Stanmore | 17 July 1992 - 18 August 1995 | |
| N113 | Trafalgar Square - Edgware | 30 June 2012 - present |
| N139 | Trafalgar Square - West Hampstead | 28 January 1994 - 31 January 2003 |
| N149 | Trafalgar Square - Ponders End | 2 November 2001 - 24 October 2003 |
| N155 | Trafalgar Square - Sutton | 18 August 1995 - 28 May 1999 |
| N171 | Trafalgar Square - Hither Green | 27 April 1996 - 28 April 2000 |
| N199 | Trafalgar Square - St Mary Cray | 12 September 2015 - present |
| N207 | Trafalgar Square - Uxbridge | 12 November 1999 - 28 April 2000 |
| N243 | Trafalgar Square - Wood Green | 2 November 2001 - 2 September 2005 |
| N253 | Trafalgar Square - Aldgate | 25 November 1994 - 29 May 1998 |
| N279 | Trafalgar Square - Waltham Cross | 15 October 2004 - present |
| N343 | Trafalgar Square - New Cross Gate | 3 February 2006 - present |
| N381 | Trafalgar Square - Peckham | 3 October 1999 - present |
| N550 | Trafalgar Square - Canning Town | 29 August 2008 - present |
| N551 | Trafalgar Square - Gallions Park | 29 August 2008 - present |
| NX1 | Trafalgar Square - Gillingham | 19 October 1990 - 2 October 1993 |