Piccadilly Circus

Landmark in St James's
Piccadilly Circus image
Address
Piccadilly Circus, St James's, W1J 9HP
Category
Landmarks
Region
St James's
Nearest Station
Piccadilly Circus
0.00 miles

Piccadilly Circus derives its name from a frilly collar that was popular in the seventeenth century. A dressmaker who made the item became wealthy and bought property in the area.

One of the most famous landmarks in Piccadilly Circus is the statue of Eros- the pagan god of love. The Statue was originally called the Shaftsbury Monument after Lord Shaftsbury. Though the fountain is made of Bronze, the figure of Eros itself is constructed from Aluminium, a rare and unusual material for the time.

Piccadilly Circus is instantly recognizable due to the extravagant neon signs, and is one of London most vibrant entertainment areas. The area has many pubs, clubs, cinemas and restaurants. It was originally part of the design for the Regent Street area by John Nash but has been distorted over the years.

The pedestrianised area of Piccadilly Circus conceals a maze of shops and several shopping malls, some of which are hidden behind the facing of the London Pavilion, a once significant music venue. Piccadilly Circus is the most visited part of London and is the junction for five major areas. Carnaby Street, Soho, Trafalgar square and Leceister Square are also all within close proximity to Piccadilly. It is because of this position at the crossroads of so many areas that has led to it being dubbed ‘the hub of London.’

Piccadilly Circus Picture Gallery

Piccadilly Circus Picture

Best For

Victorian remains in London picture

Victorian remains in London

London's chock-full of them

The world-famous chronicler of the Victorian period lived at 48 Doughty Street, near Gray's Inn Road, for two years. Despite spending such a short time here there is a fantastic selection of his furniture, manuscripts and rare books on display. Even though his house dates back to the Georgian era, the museum gathers the most important collection of Victorian artefacts in the world, and is also where he wrote Oliver Twist, among others.

User Reviews

There are no user reviews