Colonna Duke of York to Waterloo Square - almost a copy of Nelson's Column, Trafalgar Square vysyascheysya just a hundred meters to the east. It is dedicated to Prince Frederick, Duke of York, who, though not as famous as Lord Nelson, but merits to Britain is significant.

The Duke of York was the supreme commander of the royal army during the so-called French Wars of 1792-1802 years. Not earned special glory on the battlefield, he noticed weaknesses of the British Army at the time and began its reform. Duke was one of the founders of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where he began training army officers. It was he who was responsible for the preparation for a possible invasion of Britain by Napoleon in 1803. Thanks to the reforms of the Duke of York English army into a force that Spain was able to inflict a defeat Napoleon.

Career Duke evolved not always smooth. In 1808 he resigned as a result of financial fraud his mistress Mary Ann Clark. Soon, Frederick was rehabilitated and absorbed in administrative work, as well as the card game - going into another world, the Duke left a debt of two million pounds.

Evil tongues joked: statue of the Duke at the top of the column is set so high that Frederik was in safe from creditors. The monument was designed by architect Benjamin Dean Waite really huge: 42 meters in height. I installed it on a powerful granite pedestal. Inside there is a spiral staircase of 168 steps leading to a viewing platform. Above it installed four-meter statue of the Duke Richard Vestmakotta.Sama work area in the XIX century, has been closed to visitors because of the case of suicides there, you can not go up there.

The column turned the "face" to the Whitehall, and the military, which for so long led by the Duke. It honors the memory of a man who navёl order in the British Army. It is believed that the construction of the columns has paid the army itself, sacrificing your salary day, but, according to other sources, the military simply did not pay extra money.

To the right of the column, under a large tree, you can see the unique to London monument: a tiny tombstone Giro terrier, pet dog Hitler's first ambassador to the United Kingdom Leopold von Hoesch. The ambassador, who was not a supporter of Hitler, died in London in 1936 of a heart attack. It held a grand farewell to the diplomat. Before the coffin nestled with a swastika flag, the British went orchestra of the Life Grenadiers in bearskin hats. Thundering artillery salute. From the balcony of the German embassy motorcade accompanied the Nazi salute. The destroyer, carrying the body of the ambassador, accompanied by Scottish pipers.

Jiro died two years earlier than the background hash: terrier died gnawing electric wire. He was buried near the German embassy. This building is now the Royal Society, but the grave of the Giro British incorrigible dog lovers, not touched. So she remained among the monuments to the heroes of the British Empire.