Nelson Monument Glasgow

Trafalgar Square in London may have the most famous monument commemorating the achievements of Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, however, Glasgow stakes claim to having the older of the Nelson monuments.

The structure was erected in 1806, just one year after his victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. The battle was a naval squirmish that pitted the British Royal Navy against the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies during the Napoleonic Wars.

The monument is located in the historic park of Glasgow Green and stands at 144 feet tall. It was crafted by architect David Hamilton, who was also known as the “Father of the Profession.” The Nelson Monument was the first civic monument dedicated to Nelson’s victories erected in Britain.

Not long after it was constructed, the monument was struck by lightning, causing a long structural crack. The monument was listed as a category A listed building in 1970.