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Piccadilly Circus is a famous junction in London, England. It’s located in the City of Westminster and is a popular meeting place.
History
Piccadilly Circus dates back to 1819, when it was built to connect Regent Street to Piccadilly. It now links both streets to Shaftesbury Avenue, Haymarket, and Coventry Street.
Starting in 1908, the junction was surrounded by illuminated signs. Only one exists today, and it’s a large curved billboard featuring several different advertisements.
Several shops, restaurants, nightclubs, bars, and tourist attractions are located in and around Piccadilly Circus, as well as many historic buildings. Regent Street is a major shopping street while Shaftesbury Avenue contains several theatres. Coventry Street leads to Leicester Square and Chinatown.
Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain
In the center is the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain, which was erected between 1885 and 1893. It was sculpted by Alfred Gilbert to commemorate the philanthropic works of Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury.
The fountain is topped by a statue of Anteros, the Greek god of requited love. It’s often mistaken for the god’s brother, Eros.
Soho
North of Shaftesbury Avenue is Soho, which is a lively entertainment district. You can find theaters, trendy bars and restaurants, and shopping.
We stayed at Ham Yard, which has an outdoor restaurant, a hotel, some shops, and a pub. It was always full of people day and night.
Chinatown
Walking down Coventry Street to Leicester Square, I passed the Chinatown gates at Wardour Street. It was unveiled on July 25, 2016. The gate was made by Chinese artisans and assembled in London.
Leicester Square
Finally, a very short walk from Piccadilly Circus is Leicester Square. This pedestrianized square was laid out in 1670 and refurbished for the 2012 London Olympics. It’s named after Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester, who owned the land and built a house there. Today, it’s surrounded by several important cinemas, many used for important film premieres.
In the center of the square is a fountain and statue of William Shakespeare. It’s a copy of a statue made by Peter Scheemakers for Poets’ Corner at Westminster Abbey and was carved by Giovanni Fontana in 1874.
One of the more attractive buildings on Leicester Square is Victory House Hotel. It originally opened in 1898 as the Hôtel de l’Europe, which was designed by Walter Emden. The Victory House is a boutique hotel containing 86 luxury rooms.
