Westminster

Take care as you cross the road to get to the square.

Parliament Square was laid out in the mid 19th Century to create some open space in this important part of central London. It was designed by Sir Charles Barry, who was also the architect of the Houses of Parliament. He created the entire area to blend with nearby Westminster Abbey. One of its original features was the Buxton Memorial Fountain, which was removed in 1940 and placed in its present position in nearby Victoria Tower Gardens.

The square was redesigned in the 1950’s to incorporate its current main attraction, a group of statues of major statesman, around the edge of the square. Look out for statues of Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln and Robert Peel. The latest to join the square was a 9-foot high bronze statue of Nelson Mandela, which was placed here in 2007.

One side of the square has become a focus for protestors. Brian Haw has led a continuous protest there since June 2001. He has only left his protest once during this time, and that was when he was arrested for failing to move during a security alert - he returned the following day. His protest has angered government who subsequently “invented” a law making it illegal to protest in Parliament Square. The Act was unsuccessful when a high court ruled he was exempt, as his protest began before the law came in!

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