Why Take a Closer Look at Landseer’s Lions?
According to an old London legend, the four bronze lions guarding Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square will come to life if Big Ben ever strikes thirteen times.
Fortunately, they’ve remained peacefully in place since 1867.
The enormous lions sit at the base of Nelson’s Column, the monument commemorating Admiral Nelson’s victory over the French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Designed by Sir Edwin Landseer, a celebrated Victorian animal painter, the four sculptures were added more than twenty years after the column itself was completed.
But take a closer look at their paws.
Despite his reputation as one of Britain’s finest animal painters, Landseer had little experience creating monumental sculptures. According to a famous story, he arranged for a dead lion from London Zoo to be delivered to his studio so he could study its anatomy. Unfortunately, the carcass began decomposing before he finished his work.
The story goes that Landseer turned to a domestic cat for inspiration, which might explain why the lions have such unusually rounded, almost house-cat-like paws. Whether that part of the tale is true remains uncertain, but the peculiar paws are there for anyone to inspect.
Can You Still Climb Landseer’s Lions?
For generations, visitors have scrambled onto the lions’ backs for photographs, but climbing the sculptures is actually prohibited under Trafalgar Square’s byelaws.
The enormous bronze lions may look indestructible, but they’re hollow, and years of climbing have raised concerns about damage to the historic statues. These days, it’s best to admire them from the ground.
And while you’re there, take a moment to compare their faces and manes. Although the four lions look almost identical from a distance, each has subtle differences.
Just don’t expect any of them to get up and walk away.
Address: Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN
Nearest Station: Charing Cross
Website: Trafalgar Square — London City Hall
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