Leicester Square, Entertainment square in City of Westminster, England.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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