What is Piccadilly Circus?
Piccadilly Circus is a busy road junction and public space in London's West End, famous for its giant illuminated advertising screens and the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain, topped by a statue often called Eros.
The junction was built in 1819 to connect Regent Street with Piccadilly. The word circus comes from Latin for circle, meaning a round open space where streets meet.
The neon signs and digital screens on the north side of the circus are one of London's best-known sights, similar to Times Square in New York.
The statue
The statue on top of the fountain is commonly called Eros, but it actually represents Anteros, the Greek god of selfless love. It was created by Alfred Gilbert and unveiled in 1893.
The memorial honors the Earl of Shaftesbury, a philanthropist who campaigned for the welfare of poor children and workers.
Piccadilly Circus is close to theaters, shops, restaurants and Leicester Square. The phrase it's like Piccadilly Circus is used to describe a very busy place.
Piccadilly Circus station on the Underground serves the Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines.