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Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Circus is a famous square and intersection in the center of the West End, part of Soho - part of London which is the center of theater, artistic and entertainment life, full of nightclubs and pubs. It is also an important communication junction (there is a metro station under the square) and commercial (located near the London Pavilion). The most recognizable object of Piccadilly Circus is a fountain with a statue of Anteros - in Greek mythology a symbol of mutual love or revenge for betrayed love.

The figure of a winged man with a bow is also interpreted as an Angel of Mercy. The sculpture was made in 1893 by Alfred Gilbert - a well-known English artist, goldsmith and enthusiast of experiments in the field of metallurgy. Thanks to his passion, Anteros became the first monument in the world made of aluminum. The sculptor dedicated his work to Anthony Ashley Cooper, who died in 1885 - a politician, philanthropist and social activist, who led to the adoption in 1847 of the Act on a 10-hour work day.

The round square, named after the nearby street Piccadilly, created in 1819. At the end of the 19th century, the place changed its shape to a rectangular one, but retained the word "circus" in its name. Already in 1910 the first illuminated advertisements were installed here, and in 1928 traffic lights. During World War II, the square became a famous meeting place, even outside London, of prostitutes with American soldiers - the authorities turned a blind eye to this deal in order not to irritate relations with the American ally.

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Piccadilly Circus W1B London, United Kingdom