Buckingham Palace

Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Circus is a busy plaza in the heart of London at the junction of five major streets: Regent street, Shaftesbury Avenue, Piccadilly and Covent Street.

The creation of the Shaftesbury Avenue in 1885 turned the plaza into a busy traffic junction. This attracted the first illuminated advertisements in London in 1895.

At the centre of the Circus stands the Shaftesbury memorial fountain. It was built in 1893 to commemorate Lord Shaftesbury, a philanthropist known for his support of the poor. The nude statue on top of the fountain depicts the Angel of Christian Charity but was later renamed Eros. The fountain itself was made in bronze, but the statue is made of aluminium, at the time a novel and rare material.

The name 'Piccadilly' originates from a 17th century frilled collar named piccadil. Roger Baker, the tailor who became rich making piccadils lived in the area. The word 'Circus' refers to the roundabout around which the traffic circulated.