Charing Cross Monument

Address: Charing Cross, Strand / Trafalgar Square area, London (junction)

Website: https://tfl.gov.uk (transport links)

Admission: No fee to stand at Charing Cross; nearby tourist attractions and transport services vary in cost

Charing Cross is a junction and area in central London at the eastern end of the Strand where it meets Whitehall and the Mall, adjacent to Trafalgar Square. Historically it is associated with a medieval Eleanor Cross and later monuments and is treated as a symbolic central point of London.

The site includes public statues and memorials and sits beside the transport hub of Charing Cross station, making it a busy pedestrian and tourist area. It provides direct walking access to major central attractions such as Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery and the West End theatre district.

The place takes its name from the old royal manor of Charing and the Eleanor Cross that marked the site in the medieval period; the original cross was removed in the 17th century and the area has been redeveloped repeatedly since.

Charing Cross lies within the City of Westminster in central London, on the north bank of the Thames near the junction of major routes into the West End and government districts.

• Central point: The location historically functions as the traditional central point from which distances to London are measured.
• Transport: Charing Cross is well served by transport, including the Charing Cross rail and Underground station, and is adjacent to Trafalgar Square and the Strand.

Charing Cross station (National Rail) and the Charing Cross Underground station (Bakerloo and Northern lines) serve the junction directly. The area is walkable from Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square.

• Use the Charing Cross station steps as a wayfinding point - many black taxi drivers and tour guides still give directions relative to 'Charing Cross'.
• Stand by the equestrian statue of Charles I and notice the traffic and pedestrian patterns: Charing Cross is a living junction, not simply a monument.
• For theatre and gallery visits nearby, book weekday matinees to avoid evening tourist crowds.