The Nelson Monument in Glasgow, Scotland, was the world’s first of many public monuments in honour of Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, victor of the Battle of Trafalgar. Having died in the battle, the commemorative obelisk was erected a year later in 1806.
Designed by David Hamilton, one of Scotland’s leading architects, the Nelson Monument stands 44 meters (144 feet) high and is located within historic public park Glasgow Green. The funds were raised by public subscription during the countrywide outpouring of grief that followed the admiral’s death. Today, the monuments square plinth is enclosed by cast iron railings.
Lord Nelson was a British naval commander and after his naval victories against the French during the Napoleonic Wars he was considered a national hero. Having joined the navy at 12-years-old – on a ship commanded by a maternal uncle – he became captain by the time he was 20 and saw service in Baltic, Canada and West Indies.
He marries his wife Frances Nisbet in 1787 in Nevis and together they returned to England until he was given command of the Agamemnon when Britain entered the French Revolutionary Wars in 1793. From there, Lord Nelson served in in Mediterranean, lost the sight in his right eye helping capture Corsica and last his right arm in 1797 at the Battle Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
If he was famous for anything, it was his disregard of orders from his seniors and the bold action that came from it. In the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 he ignored orders to cease action by putting his telescope to his blind eye, claiming he never saw the signal to withdraw. However, it was these bold actions that allowed him to win battles like this one and the battle against the Spanish of Cape Vincent in 1797.
Lord Nelson successful destroyed Napoleon’s fleet at the Battle of the Nile in 1798 and bid for a direct trade route to India. He then went to Naples and fell in love with Emma, Lady Hamilton. Despite remaining in their marriages, they each believed the other to be their soul-mate and had a daughter together in 1801 which they named Horatia.
It was in 1801 that Lord Nelson was promoted to vice-admiral. His most famous, and his final, battle was the Battle of Trafalgar where he saved Britain from threat of invasion by Napoleon.
On October 21st, 1805, he sent out a signal to his fleet: “England expects that every man will do his duty”. A few hours later while he was leading the attack on the combined French and Spanish fleet, he was killed by a French sniper. Having preserved his body in brandy, he was transported back to England and was given a state funeral.
A year later, this monument was erected.
Not long after its construction, the obelisk was struck by lightening which has left a long structural crack in the monument.
It is now a recognised War Memorial site and became a category A listed building in 1970.
Classic Culture 