London Leicester Square

1600x1200   1024x768   200x150

Leicester Square

 

The Leicester Square is an attraction shaped as a square, bounded by Lisle Street, Charing Cross Road, Orange Street, Cranbourn Street, Leicester Street and Irving Street.
The Square is named after Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester who appointed to develop

the land as a part of his residential area in the 1670s.

Eventually, the Leicester Square became a venue for popular entertainments the house became a museum of natural curiosities called the Holophusikon until it was demolished in 1792, but came back as a popular entertainment venue in the 19th century. The area is home to Wyld’s Globe and a giant scale map of the Earth. From time on, hotels have grown up around the square. The Alhambra Theater was also built in 1854, which dominated the site, then later joined by the Empire Theatre of Varieties.

In the Square's center is where the 19th century statue of William Shakespeare (surrounded by dolphins) resides. Each of the corners of the square has one ust each, depicting Sir Isaac Newton, the scientist;

Sir Joshua Reynolds, the first President of the Royal Academy; John Hunter, a pioneer of surgery; and William Hogarth, the painter. A statue of film star and director Charlie Chaplin was also included.