London’s Times Square
The world-famous Piccadilly Circus is an iconic landmark in London’s West End. It is where many tours begin and where people over the decades have arranged to meet friends and lovers. Its name is somewhat confusing because it is not a traditional circus with performing acrobats and clowns – and never has been. The word circus comes from the Latin for circle and merely means a junction where five busy streets all connect. This symbolic junction is at the far eastern end of Piccadilly, a street which goes from the Circus all the way up to Hyde Park Corner. Piccadilly Circus is surrounded by tourist attractions and is quite a glamorous location with its famous video displays and neon advertising signs on the front of some of the buildings. With its famous statue of ‘Eros’, some grand theatres such as the London Pavilion and the Criterion, a good selection of restaurants, bars and nightclubs with many more just a short walk away in neighbouring Soho, Piccadilly Circus is a hive of activity, day and night.
During high season millions of people pass through Piccadilly Circus every week. Hundreds of people gather on the steps of the Eros statue, resting, waiting for friends or just people-watching. Others are taking selfies with the neon advertising lights as a backdrop. Today, and in the past, it is so busy with traffic, pedestrians and tourists that generations of Londoners, when commenting about a busy or chaotic place, will use the expression ‘It’s like Piccadilly Circus’. It was also said that if you stay long enough at Piccadilly Circus you will eventually bump into everyone you know.
As a very central place it is a convenient place to go on to see other landmarks or shopping. Near by Piccadilly Circus is Regent Street, one of the most famous London shopping destinations. Travelling west up Piccadilly Street are some beautiful and famous hotels such as The Ritz, Park Lane Hotel and Le Meridian, as well as Green Park. The legendary store Fortnum and Masons is located on this street as well as one of the largest bookstores in London: Waterstones. Piccadilly Circus close to Leicester Square with its theatres and cinemas and Trafalgar Square, with the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery, is only a short 5 minute walk away.
History
Ever since the Middle Ages, the street we now know as Piccadilly, was a main thoroughfare and known as ‘the road to Reading’ or ‘the way from Colnbrook’. Early in the 17th century a tailor by the name of Robert Baker bought some land in the area and began producing the very fashionable lace collars of the time, known as piccadills. His business prospered and he built several houses on the site, including his own which he named Pikadilly Hall. At that time, the street we now call Piccadilly, was called Portugal Street in honour of Catherine of Braganza, the queen consort of Charles II. This street became very fashionable, especially after the creation of Green Park in 1668. Several very fine mansions were built on its northern side, resided in by some very prominent people of the time. In 1684 the very pretty St. James’ Church was consecrated and the area that immediately surrounded the church became known as St. James’s. By the middle of the 18th century the street began to be known by the one word: Piccadilly – and has remained so ever since.
Piccadilly Circus was created with the development and improvements of London’s West End by the renowned Regency architect, John Nash. He developed Regent Street, Regent’s Park with its beautiful surrounding stuccoed Palladian terraces and also promoted the development of Regent’s Canal. His improvements laid down the footprint for Trafalgar Square and created the junction that would become Piccadilly Circus. Initially it was known as Regent Circus South, with Oxford Circus being Regent Circus North. It officially began to be called Piccadilly Circus towards the end of the 1880s when Shaftesbury Avenue was constructed. It was also at this time when the circus ring became a square, although it did not become Piccadilly Square.
Shaftesbury Memorial and the Statue of Anteros
At the south-eastern side of Piccadilly Circus is the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain. This monument was erected to honour Anthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury. On the death of his father he became Lord Shaftesbury. Anthony Ashley Cooper was a Victorian politician, philanthropist and social reformer. Some of the social issues he was instrumental in was improving the living conditions of the poor slum dwellers, improved conditions for those living in mental asylums and many reforms to laws involving employment of women and children. On his death in 1885 it was decided that a memorial to his life’s work should be erected and this was completed in 1893. Originally the Fountain was in the centre of the Circus but was moved to its current location after World War II.
The fountain features a bronze base with a statue perched on top of the fountain. The statue is famously known as Eros, the god of love. However, it is not Eros at all but his brother, Anteros – who was the god of selfless love, also, known as the Angel of Christian Charity, which seems to be a much more realistic depiction of the work of Lord Shaftesbury. The designer of the fountain and sculptor was Sir Alfred Gilbert and it was quite unusual inasmuch as it was the first one ever to be cast in aluminium, which at the time was a costly, almost precious, metal. The choice of the lightweight metal, aluminium, has over the years caused some problems due to people climbing upon it and some damage has been done to the statue’s ankle. When created at the end of the 19th century it was considered rather risque as it is nude, albeit with a swirl of drapery around him to protect the sensibilities of the late Victorians. Nowadays, the statue is synonymous with Piccadilly Circus and London in general. An outline of the statue is depicted as a symbol for the London Evening Standard, a local free daily newspaper.
The fountain has been dismantled and returned three times in its lifetime, the final time seeing it relocated from the centre of the Circus to its present position slightly towards the south-east corner. The first time it was taken down was in 1922 so that the Piccadilly tube station could be built directly underneath it. In 1931 it was re-erected only for it to be removed a few years later for safekeeping during World War Two. In 1948, after the war, it was returned . It was moved again to its present position in the late 1980s when Piccadilly Circus underwent reconstruction work.
In a pantheon of iconic London statues, the erroneously named, Statue of Eros, would certainly be among the top choices, much photographed by visitors to London. The memorial lends the square a very special atmosphere and is a popular meeting place, especially during the summer months.
The Horses of Helios
The Four Bronze Horses of Helios was created by sculptor Rudy Weller in 1992. The greek legend is that of Helios, the young Greek god of the sun. He is the son of Hyperion and Theia. By the Oceanid Perse he became the father of Aeëtes, Circe, and Pasiphae. His other children are Phaethusa (“radiant”) and Lampetia (“shining”) and Phaeton. Each morning at dawn he rises from the ocean in the east and rides in his chariot, pulled by four horses – Pyrois, Eos, Aethon and Phlegon — through the sky, to descend at night in the west. Helios once allowed Phaeton to guide his chariot across the sky. The unskilled youth could not control the horses and fell towards his death.
n the heart of London’s Picadilly stands a fountain. Its a bronze sculpture of 4 tearaway horses. It the horses of Helios- also known as the horses in Piccadilly and it is a sculpture made by Rudy Weller. It was created in 1992 and has since then has made its home in the heart of London. The Horses of Helios are from Greek mythology. The horses all have names which are Pyrois, Aeos, Aethon, and Phlegon. The son of Hyperion and Theia was called Helios and he was pulled around in the sky in a chariot that was driven by these four horses. Helios was known as the good-looking young Titan, he had long flowing golden hair, a golden chariot and 4 powerful horses which he would ride around the sky. He was the god of the sun and his job was to drive the sun from East to West.
The Horses of Helios comprises three bronze elements with dark patina: one pair of horses weighing approximately 4 tons, and two single horses. The four rearing horses appear to be bursting from the water of a fountain. It depicts Aethon, Eous, Phlegon, and Pyrois – the four horses of Helios, Greek god of the sun.
ts a wonderful bronze, equestrian statue…it encapsulates movement, these are real horses, held for moment for us to visualise their power and elegance…the water adds to the picture..its a lovely piece of work..a great place for a picture..and great idea to provide a medium for a simple small charitable donation..for a good cause..Here we have the horses of Helios which are in fact Greek. Helios was the Greek god of the sun. He drove his chariot from east to west across the sky every day with the help of his four horses: Pyrois, Eos, Aethon, and Phleyon. These bronze versions of the horses probably don’t fly, but they do collect coins which are donated to a different charity every year. And to think I almost thought them intimidating.
The Horses of Helios, also known as The Four Bronze Horses of Helios, is a bronze sculpture of four horses by Rudy Weller. It is one half of a commission installed in 1992 when the adjacent Criterion Theatre was refurbished. The other half, the Daughters of Helios or Three Graces, is a sculpture of three women leaping off the building six stories above.
This wonderful fountain is of the 4 Horses of Helios, who was the Greek god of the sun. No matter the time of day, there are always people taking photos nearby, and nobody wants a crowd of people blocking their subject.
Move into a position where you have a direct shot of the horses and wait. Time your photo for when the traffic lights change and pedestrians are crossing. That will flush out many of the crowd and give you a chance to get an unobscured shot. I recommend not putting the camera down while you are waiting. Get your settings right and just wait patiently. You may only have 2 seconds to get the shot and it may take several attempts.
Look right up to the top of the building. There’s a sculpture of 3 divers leaping off the building. The sculptor of both statues is Rudy Wheller.
When in London City next, make sure to catch two installations around Piccadilly. While one is obvious, the other one is something you will need to crane your neck up to and is a lot more interesting – The Three Graces.Close to the station, at the corner where Piccadilly meets Haymarket on 1 Jermyn Street is a building adjacent to the Criterion Building. Perched on the roof of this building are The Three Graces. Also known as the daughters of Helios and naiad-nymph Aegle, the gold leafed aluminium statues shows the three sisters – Aglaea, Euphrosyne and Thalia, leaping from the rooftop above.Both installations are the creation of the artist and sculptor, Rudy Weller. They were commissioned in 1992, when the Criterion theatre was refurbished. Interestingly, he’s also a bar owner.
Immediately below the three sisters are the Horses of Helios at the corner of Haymarket. As if bursting from the fountain, it depicts Aethon, Eous, Phlegon and Pyrois – the four horses of Helios, the Greek god of the sun, tearing away from hell.
A little unfortunate for the sisters, as most tourists seem to miss out on this beautiful sculpture just above them and instead focus on the Horses of Helios.