Overseen by Lord Nelson perched 56m above on his column, the square has become a place to worship sporting heroes, celebrate saints, shed tears for lost ones and chant beliefs.

It has always been a battleground for beliefs - ever since the Chartists' March of 1848.

But following a £25m project to transform it in 2003, almost 200 public events (excluding political rallies) have been staged there.

It has been the backdrop to key moments in London's sporting, political and cultural calendar from Olympic bid success to Nelson Mandela's call to make poverty history.