Leicester Square, Entertainment square in City of Westminster, England.
Description
Leicester Square is a pedestrian area at the heart of London's West End, featuring large cinemas, restaurants, shops and a maintained green space at its center. The square draws thousands of visitors daily who come to watch films, attend screenings or rest on benches around the lawns.
History
Robert Sidney, second Earl of Leicester, laid out the square around 1670 as Leicester Fields, turning it into a residential area for wealthy families. It developed into a center for theaters and cinemas in the 19th century after the aristocracy moved away.
Culture
The central garden displays bronze statues of William Shakespeare, Isaac Newton, William Hogarth and John Hunter at its four corners. The statue of Charlie Chaplin stands a little further away, marking the spot where the Alhambra Theatre once stood and where he performed.
Practical
The Underground station sits directly on the square, offering connections to several lines that reach the rest of London. The area stays busy around the clock, especially in the evenings when cinemas open and films begin.
Did you know?
The square holds the record as London's oldest cinema location, with the Empire cinema opening as a music hall in 1884. The Odeon Luxe displays red handprints from film stars on its outer wall, marking the many world premieres that took place here.
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Empire Leicester Square
74 m
Harold Pinter Theatre
61 m
Prince of Wales Theatre
120 m
Leicester House
60 m
Alhambra Theatre
72 m
Leicester Square Theatre
116 m
Notre Dame de France
116 m
Statue of William Shakespeare
17 m
Statue of Charlie Chaplin
7 m
Leverian collection
0 m
Westminster Reference Library
78 m
Royal Panopticon
62 m
Irving Street
71 m
Clareville House
99 m
Paddington Bear in Leicester Square
30 m
Mr Bean statue at Leicester Square
24 m
Rialto Cinema
125 m
Bugs Bunny in Leicester Square
62 m
Indiana Jones at Leicester Square
47 m
Batman statue on Odeon theatre
65 m
Laurel and Hardy in Leicester Square
36 m
Harry Potter statue in Leicester Square
42 m
29–30 Leicester Square
116 m
Clifford the Big Red Dog at Leicester Square
54 m
Mary Poppins in Leicester Square
34 m
Our Lady of Mercy
95 m
Leicester Street
92 mDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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