Piccadilly Circus, London

The name "Piccadilly" has its origins linked to a modest 17th-century tailor named Robert Baker who specialized in selling piccadills, which were fashionable stiff ruffled collars highly favored in courtly circles. With the proceeds from his collar sales, Baker constructed a house. This new-money mansion earned the derisive nickname "Piccadilly Hall" from the snobbish elite, and the name has endured to this day.

At the heart of Piccadilly Circus, which used to be a circular junction until the construction of Shaftesbury Avenue in 1886, stands the pride of the place commonly known as Eros. Dating back to 1893, many Londoners are unaware that it actually represents Eros's brother, Anteros, the Greek god of requited love. Another unmistakable feature of Piccadilly Circus is the massive array of illuminated billboards on the north side. The very first illuminated sign, advertising Perrier mineral water, was installed there in 1908. If you happen to pass by at night, try framing these billboards behind the Tube entrance sign at the corner of Regent Street for a timeless photograph.

Beneath the surface, you'll discover two noteworthy attractions: the Criterion Theatre and the Piccadilly Circus tube station. The theatre, built in 1873, is primarily situated underground, with the exception of its box office. In the 19th century, during its performances, a special system was used to pump in fresh air to ventilate the interior and mitigate the toxic fumes produced by gas lighting. As for the tube station, it stands out as one of the rare ones within the London Underground network that is entirely and authentically subterranean.

On the western side of Piccadilly, another relic of the past can still be seen: a police public call box established in 1935, one of the few remaining in Britain. Another hidden gem somewhere in Piccadilly Circus is a sculpted nose, one of the Seven Noses of Soho. Legend has it that anyone who discovers all seven noses will be blessed with unimaginable wealth. It's intriguing to ponder whether any of the nearly half a million people who pass through here each day are on the hunt for that elusive fortune.

***HARRY POTTER MOVIE***
In "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1," there's an most memorable scene featuring Piccadilly Circus: Harry, Hermione, and Ron find themselves racing through London's West End, desperately fleeing from Death Eaters who had attacked Bill's wedding. Their escape narrowly avoids a collision with a quintessential London red double-decker bus. Interestingly, the actual location where this dramatic moment was filmed in the movie is right in front of the Gap store just adjacent to Piccadilly Circus, whereas on the book, the characters end up in Tottenham Court Road. Filming such an action-packed scene in a popular tourist hub presented a significant challenge.

Why You Should Visit:
A quintessential London intersection, centrally positioned for easy exploration of Regent Street, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, and the West End theater district. It's a bustling and vibrant hub that captures the essence of London's atmosphere.