Piccadilly Circus Amusement Park

Address: Piccadilly Circus, London W1, United Kingdom

Piccadilly Circus is a major road junction and public space in London’s West End, established in the early 19th century to link Regent Street with Piccadilly and nearby streets. It is famous for its large illuminated advertising screens and the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain topped by the winged figure commonly called Eros.

The space functions as a pedestrian hub between theatreland, shopping streets and attractions such as Regent Street, Shaftesbury Avenue and Leicester Square. The advertising displays and fountain make the intersection one of central London’s most photographed locations, particularly at night.

Designed as a traffic circus in 1819, the junction grew into a metropolitan landmark through the 19th and 20th centuries as electric signage and urban redevelopment concentrated there. The fountain and statue were installed in 1893 and the area has since been a meeting point and gateway to the West End.

Piccadilly Circus sits in the City of Westminster, within walking distance of Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square, and is served by the Piccadilly Circus Underground station.

• Best time to visit: Late evening and weekends are the most visually distinctive times because of the illuminated signs and high pedestrian activity.
• Statue fact: The fountain statue is popularly called Eros but represents Anteros; the memorial was unveiled in 1893.

What to See#

• Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain (Eros): The Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain and the winged statue commonly known as Eros, erected in 1893 and located on the north side of the junction.
• Illuminated advertising screens: The corner with large illuminated advertising screens on the eastern side, a long-standing visual feature of the junction and a focal point for night views.

Piccadilly Circus is in central London. The Piccadilly Circus Underground station is served by the Piccadilly and Bakerloo lines; from Heathrow the Piccadilly Line provides a direct metro service to Piccadilly Circus (journey about 50-60 minutes). The location is in the West End so walking from nearby stations (for example Leicester Square or Charing Cross) takes only a few minutes.

• For illuminated signs and atmosphere, visit after dusk; for photography without the crowds, go at dawn when the square is almost empty and the architecture is easier to frame.
• Use Piccadilly Circus tube station for the quickest access and to avoid surface traffic; from there you can loop to nearby Soho, Regent Street and Carnaby Street on foot.
• Don't just stand in the central junction - explore the tiny courtyards and lanes around it (for example Kingly Court and nearby Denmark Street) where visitors often miss independent shops, cafés and music‑history spots.