King Charles Statue - Charing Cross - 50 THINGS TO DO IN LONDON - London

Описание: The statue of King Charles at Trafalgar square has a colorful history. It originally stood in Covent Garden until the revolution when Oliver Cromwell ordered for it to be melted down.
A metalsmith called John Rivett was given the job but actually hung onto it in his garden and pretended to melt down the statue. He then made money by selling fake souvenirs to tourists supposedly made from the melted down statue of King Charles I.
After the restoration he sold it back to King Charles II who reinstated it at the same spot where there used to be the original Charing Cross.
The crosses were erected all along the funeral cortege of Eleanor of Castile, the wife of King Edward I (Edward Longshanks). Charing Cross was the last one but has now been moved to Charing Cross Station, where you can see a replica.
The spot of the original cross denotes the official centre of London, from where all distances are measured in Britain.
The King Charles Statue looks down Whitehall straight towards Parliament where there is another statue of his nemesis, Oliver Cromwell. Destined to stare at each other for evermore.

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