Statue of Eros Piccadilly

Images of Britain: Statue of Eros, Piccadilly Circus

The Statue of Eros in Piccadilly Circus in the West End of London, is another icon of the capital city.

A popular meeting place, the statue stands atop the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain. The fountain and statue commemorate the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury and his philanthropic work to replace child labor with education in his day.

First erected in 1893, the statue and fountain have been moved slightly a couple of times since then.

Piccadilly Circus tube station is right here where the circus connects Regent Street, Piccadilly, Shaftesbury Avenue (also named after the Earl), Haymarket, Coventry Street and Glasshouse Street.

The nude (controversial at the time) statue is by sculptor Alfred Gilbert and is actually of Anteros, Eros' brother, not Eros himself. It was the first statue cast in aluminium in the world and stands on top of the bronze fountain. Eros is the Greek god of sensual love, probably appropriate as it stands in London's theatre district close to Soho.