Fourth Plinth, Trafalgar Square 

The Fourth Plinth is a plinth in Trafalgar Square in central London. It was originally intended to hold an equestrian statue of William IV, but remained bare due to insufficient funds. For over 150 years the fate of the plinth was debated; in 1999, a sequence of three contemporary artworks to be displayed on the plinth were announced. The success of this initiative led to a commission being formed to decide on a use for the plinth. Eventually that commission unanimously decided to continue using it for the temporary display of artworks.

There is a plinth at each of the four corners of the square. The two southern plinths carry sculptures of Henry Havelock and Charles James Napier . The northern plinths are larger than those as they were designed to have equestrian statues, and indeed the north eastern plinth has one of George IV. The fourth plinth on the north west corner, designed by Sir Charles Barry and built in 1841, was intended to hold an equestrian statue of William IV , but remained empty due to insufficient funds.