Editing Berkeley Square (section)

== Description ==
===Buildings===
Like most squares in British cities, it is surrounded largely by [[Terraced houses in the United Kingdom|terraced houses]], in this case [[Townhouse (Great Britain)|grand townhouses]].  Originally these were the London residences of very wealthy families who would spend most of the year at [[English country house|their country house]]. Only one building, number 48, remains wholly residential.{{efn|Numbering is from 1 to 57 but many are missed; one building is named with no numbering, Berkeley Square House}} Most have been converted into offices for businesses typical of Mayfair, such as [[Blue chip (stock market)|bluechips]]' meeting spaces, [[hedge fund]]s, niche headhunters and [[wealth management]] businesses.

The buildings' architects included [[Robert Adam]] but [[9 Fitzmaurice Place]] (since 1935 home of the [[Lansdowne Club]], earlier known as Shelb(o)urne then Lansdowne House &mdash; all three names referring to the same branch of one family) is now on the south corner's approach ("Fitzmaurice Place"). The daring staircase-hall of No.44 is sometimes considered [[William Kent]]'s masterpiece.<ref>Sykes, 104–111</ref> [[Gunter's Tea Shop]], founded under a different name in 1757, used to trade here.

Approach ways include Berkeley Street, [[Curzon Street]], and [[Hill Street, London|Hill Street]].

===Gardens===
The gardens of Berkeley Square are Grade II listed (are in the initial category) on the [[Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England|Register of Historic Parks and Gardens]].<ref name=NHLEgarden>{{NHLE|num=1000516|desc=Berkeley Square|access-date=22 March 2018|mode=cs2}}</ref>  They are plain from the horticultural point of view, with grass and paths, but dominated by a group of [[London Plane]] trees around the gardens, planted in 1789,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Berkeley Square {{!}} Westminster City Council |url=https://www.westminster.gov.uk/parks-and-open-spaces/berkeley-square |access-date=2022-11-01 |website=www.westminster.gov.uk |language=en}}</ref> the year of the [[French Revolution]].

In 2008, one of the trees was said to be the "most valuable [[Urban forestry|street tree]] in Britain" by the London [[Arboriculture|Tree Officers]] Association, in terms of its size, health, historical significance and the number of people who live near to it.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.standard.co.uk/news/plane-lovely-the-most-valuable-tree-is-identified-in-berkeley-square-6678976.html|title=Plane lovely: The most valuable tree is identified in Berkeley Square|date=21 April 2008|website=Evening Standard}}</ref>  One in the south-west corner is a [[Great Trees of London|Great Tree of London]].<ref>{{cite book |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=The Great Trees of London |publisher=[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]] Guides Ltd |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-84670-154-2 |pages=12}}</ref>

The square features a sculptural fountain by [[Alexander Munro (sculptor)|Alexander Munro]], a [[Pre-Raphaelite]] [[sculpture|sculptor]], made in 1865. The fountain was donated by the third [[Marquess of Lansdowne]], and replaced a statue of [[George III|George II]] which was removed in 1827.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gardens (en) |first=Parks and |title=Berkeley Square, Mayfair - London |url=https://www.parksandgardens.org/places/berkeley-square-mayfair |access-date=2022-11-01 |website=Parks & Gardens |date=31 December 1744 |language=en}}</ref> On the eastern side is a bronze [[:es:La reina Mariana de Austria|sculpture of Velasquez' Reina Mariana]] by [[Manolo Valdes]].