PICCADILLY CIRCUS

Founded in 1819, Piccadilly Circus is located in the heart of London. It is considered one of the liveliest areas in London and heaven for party freaks. Piccadilly Circus is often termed synonymous with entertainment and leisure. Piccadilly, located in London's West End, is one of the top tourist attractions in London.

Breaking the suspense, the widely held Piccadilly Circus is not a circus in reality. It is a place that was named after a tailor Roger Biker, who once upon a time became famous for selling piccadils. Roger used to make Piccadils (Large broad collar of cut work lace) which were worn by the gentrified in the late 17th century. xplore this intriguing history and more with our curated Europe packages.

The place was a circle-shaped public area in the initial days but with time it has turned out to be a busy square. It is also considered to be one of the busiest junctions in the city that is full of life at all times. Now, Piccadilly Circus, located close to London’s West End is one of the top tourist attractions in the city.

It is in the vicinity of some of the famous places like Leicester Square, Haymarket, Regent Street, Oxford Circle, and Shaftesbury Avenue.Piccadilly Circus becomes more beautiful and bustling after sundown.

People come to this place to witness the famous Eros Statue and catch a glimpse of the bustling city of London. The Eros Statue is officially known as Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain, which was built in the memory of the great philanthropist Lord Shaftesbury.

Highlights

• The dream destination for shopaholics, located northwest of Piccadilly Circus, visit Regent Street Piccadilly for a line of popular brand stores including Tommy Hilfiger, Timberland, Anthropologie, POLO Ralph Lauren, etc.
• The famous statue of Eros is on the top of the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain. It is located in the center of the circus and was created in 1893 as a commemoration by the famous philanthropist Lord Shaftesbury.
• Piccadilly circus is home to the London Pavilion, a popular pavilion in the London city. It also has the Criterion Theatre as well as the world-famous Lilywhites department store which grabs the attention of many tourists.
• Some of the best scenes of famous movie series such as Furious 6, The Dark Knight, Harry Potter, and the Deathly Hallows, etc have been shot in the Piccadilly Circus.

How To Reach

Piccadilly Circus is situated at a distance of only 0.2 miles from Central London and it would on no occasion be a problem for you to reach this famous square in London. Most of the travellers coming to London prefer walking down the streets of London in the evening to reach the square so that they can explore the beauty of the city.

There are three ways in which you can reach the famous Piccadilly Circus from the London City Centre.

1. By Metro: You can travel through the underground metro by taking the Piccadilly or Bakerloo line.

2. By Train: If you want to travel by train then you would need to catch the Charing Cross train.

3. By Bus: If you want to travel by bus then you would need to catch any of the buses numbered 2, 3, 12, 88, 159, 94, 3, 12, 88, 159, 453, N3, N109 and N136.

Checkout Now: Best Things To Do In London At Night

Best Time To Visit

Piccadilly Circus is accessible 24 hours a day, but it is usually good to visit from 10 am until 11 pm as the shops and restaurants are open between these times.

Also Read: Places Near London To Visit

Other Essential Information

History of Piccadilly Circus

The Piccadilly Circus got its name from the famous tailor named Roger Biker. Roger used to make and sell Piccadills in the local markets of London and with time, he moved ahead to become one of the richest people in the city. Back in the 17th century, piccadils were much loved by the individuals who had an influence and power in society.

They used to be very fond of the apparel and carried it off with aplomb. The Piccadilly Circus is also widely held for its amazing fountain that was built in the year 1893 by the Duchess of Westminster and was designed by Gilbert. The outcome was a bit different from what Gilbert had actually planned.

This led to a big dispute and Gilbert refused to attend the grand opening ceremony. The initial name of the place was not Piccadilly Circus. It was known as Portugal Street in the times gone by as it was credited to be the home nation of Catherine of Braganza, the wife of Charles II. The name was changed to Piccadilly Circus in the middle of the 17th century.

Suggested Read: Famous Monuments In London

Facts About Piccadilly Circus:

There are a number of lesser known facts about the famous busy central area of London, Piccadilly Circus. It is a place which accommodates more than half a million individuals in a single day. Here are some secrets of the famous Piccadilly Circus .

1. You might have come across the statue of Eros in the Piccadilly circus. But it is not the statue of Eros. Its official name happens to be the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain. It is also known as the Angle of Christian Charity. It was built in the year 1893 to honor the famous Philanthropist of that time, Lord Shaftesbury.

In the course of the Second World War, the statue was replaced by a number of hoarding to keep it safe from being a point of attack. It was also covered in the year 2013 by an inflatable snow globe in order to keep it safe from drunken festive revelers.

2. Many tourists come to this place in search of a circus. But unfortunately, there is not even a single act of circus at the Piccadilly circus. The word circus was used to denote the complete roundabout or circle at that place. Although after the construction of the Shaftesbury Avenue in the year 1886 marked the end of the complete circle however, the name was not altered. In the year 2012, a circus festival was also organized in the course of the London games.

3. The name Piccadilly Circus came after the famous shopping street of Piccadilly. It was home to Fortnum and Mason and the house that belonged to the tailor was renamed to Piccadilly hall.

4. One of the most amazing parts of the Piccadilly Circus are the light boards. The very first advertisement that was lit on the Circus was an advertisement from Perrier in the year 1908, which made use of the incandescent light. In the early 1940s, neon advertisements were introduced in the Piccadilly Circus. You will find a piece of advertisement in nearly all the walls at the place except the ones leased from the Crown Estate.

5. There is a complete underground theatre at the place known as Criterion Theatre. It has all the things underground except the box office. This theatre was built in the year 1873 and at that time fresh air was pumped in the course of the performances to protect the audiences from the harmful toxic fumes emitted from the gas lights.

6. The Piccadilly Circus Station is a completely underground station in the whole network. The station was built in the year 1906 with a surface level office for buying tickets. However, in the year 1920, the station was revamped and was listed Grade II.

7. A film has also been made in the area. The movie titled The Ballet of Change: Piccadilly Circus was shown in the year 2007 and it talked about the history of the place and how things have changed with time. The total duration of the film was only 4 minutes and it was also the only film to have been broadcasted on the screens meant for advertisement.

Checkout: Best Things To Do In London This Weekend

Tips To Visit Piccadilly Circus

Here are some things that you should keep in mind when visiting the famous Piccadilly Circus with your loved near and dear ones.

1. You should visit the beautiful Piccadilly Circus after sundown as the place comes into life once the sky darkens. You will fall in love with the atmosphere as well as the liveliness of the place at dusk.

2. You should be very careful about your belongings when at Piccadilly Circus as the place is generally very crowded.

3. You should choose to stroll through the streets and explore all that they have to offer rather than moving in a cab.

4. You should find time from your busy schedule to watch a play or a musical performance at the famous theatres near Piccadilly Circus in the course of your stay in London.

Must Read: Best Museums In London