According to The Telegraph, legend states that the lions of Trafalgar Square will come to life if Big Ben chimes 13 times…Visitors approaching Trafalgar Square will find it hard to miss the four impressive bronze lions that guard the 169 ft. column holding the statue of Admiral Nelson high above the center of the city. Thousands of tourists scale up onto the colossal sculptures to sit on the lion’s backs and pose for photos. The lions were part of the original plans for the memorial that was built to commemorate Nelson’s 1805 defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Trafalgar. The lions were designed by Sir Edwin Henry Landseer, a popular English painter and sculptor known for his depictions of animals. Landseer’s Lions have been peacefully guarding Nelson’s Column since their installation in 1867.
- Trafalgar Square
- London WC2N 5DN
- www.london.gov.uk
- Underground: Charing Cross