PICCADILLY CIRCUS |
Marking the entrance into London’s entertainment district, with an array of neon advertising boards
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Highlights |
Neon Signs
Statue of Eros
Criterion Theatre
Trocadero Centre
Visitor Information |
The Trocadero Centre contains bars, restaurants, shops and entertainment. It is open from 10am to Midnight.
WC in Piccadilly Circus Tube Station
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Piccadilly Circus marks
the entrance into London’s lively entertainment district, with cinemas,
theatres, night clubs, restaurants and pubs. It is famous for its array
of neon advertising boards all located on the building between
Shaftsbury Avenue and Glasshouse Street. World famous brands are
displayed on state-of-the-art video displays that curve around the
building, with the latest additions being ticker tape style news
headlines.
Criterion Theatre
Did You Know?
Piccadilly Circus has featured in many films including Wayne's World 2.
Wayne and Garth made a trip to London and were disappointed to find out
that Piccadilly Circus was not an actual circus! Piccadilly Circus was
the final action scene in John Landis' 1981 werewolf classic, An American Werewolf in London.
The werewolf makes his final transformation in a theatre in Piccadilly
Circus and shortly after, chaos erupts when he escapes from the theatre
and sets off a chain reaction of car crashes.
The name Piccadilly
comes from a type of starched collar called a “piccadil”, sold by
Robert Baker, a local merchant who had a house that became known as
Piccadilly Hall during the 17th century. During the 19th century, the
area was redesigned by John Nash and a circular open space was created
on the junction of Regent Street. The tube station was opened in 1906,
and the first electric advertising signs appeared in 1910. Over the
years, the area has been constantly changed to handle the ever
increasing amount of traffic in the area.
Piccadilly Circus in 1896
Source WikiMedia (PD)
Piccadilly Circus in 1949
Photo © Chalmers Butterfield (CC)
At the south-west corner of the circus you will find the statue of Eros,
unveiled in 1893 as a memorial to the Earl of Shaftesbury, a Victorian
philanthropist. It was one of the first public statues in the world to
be cast in aluminium and intended to represent the Angel of Christian
Charity; but since it was a nude statue carrying a bow and arrow, it
became known as Eros, after the Greek mythical god of love. The use of
a nude figure for a public monument was controversial at the time of
its construction, but it has been generally well received by the public
and over time, the statue has become a London icon.
The statue of Eros
Did You Know?
Eros
was originally pointing up Shaftesbury Avenue, but during WW2 the
statue was removed for safe keeping and when replaced, it was
accidentally placed the other way around. Embarrassed officials made up
the story that they had intended to place Eros the other way around as
it now pointed towards Lord Shaftesbury’s home in Dorest.
Find out about the Criterion Theatre 
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