Nelson's Column is shorter than you think and was almost moved to Berlin

Art · Published 30 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Standing in the heart of London, Nelson's Column is an icon of British naval history. Yet, this monument is full of surprises: it is significantly shorter than historical records claimed, its famous lions were modeled after a decomposing corpse, and Adolf Hitler once planned to relocate it to Berlin.

Commissioned to honor Admiral Horatio Nelson’s victory at the Battle of Trafalgar, the monument was constructed between 1840 and 1843. Designed by William Railton, the structure features a Corinthian column made of Dartmoor granite, topped by a 17-foot sandstone statue of Nelson. The project faced significant financial hurdles; by 1844, the original committee had exhausted its funds, forcing the government to intervene. The four bronze lions at the base, designed by Sir Edwin Landseer, were not added until 1867, decades after the column itself was completed.

The monument’s history is marked by peculiar technical and artistic challenges. During a 2006 refurbishment, laser surveys revealed the structure was 169 feet 3 inches tall—far shorter than the long-accepted 185-foot figure. The lions, meanwhile, suffered from Landseer’s reliance on a decaying lion corpse from London Zoo, resulting in anatomical oddities like cat-like paws and concave backs. These sculptures were only installed after earlier designs by Thomas Milnes were rejected and sold to a workers' village in Saltaire.

Beyond its aesthetic and structural history, the column has served as a potent symbol. It was a target for Adolf Hitler’s planned occupation of Britain, and in the modern era, it has become a frequent site for political protest. Activists have climbed the column to highlight issues ranging from acid rain and logging to the plight of the Inuit. Despite its status as a national landmark, the monument remains a site of ongoing maintenance and public debate, with consultants even recommending restrictions on tourists climbing the lions to prevent further damage.

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