Leicester Square, London Overview

Located in the heart and center of West End, London, and built in 1670, Leicester Square is the one-stop entertainment hub for all your needs. Experience the best of shows and become bedazzled by the star-studded red carpet events at venues in the area.

The vibe of the place stems from the many theatres around the place which has been entertaining people for hundreds of years and is commonly called ‘Theatreland’. Even though the square got open to public the in 1670, it was in the 1700s that the place started developing and becoming the epicentre of entertainment that it is now.

Many of the theatres in the area today were built in the 1800s. Some of the famous and well-known theatres around the place are Odeon Leicester Square, Princes of Wales Theatre, Wyndham’s Theatre, Adelphi Theatre, Prince Charles Cinema etc., hosting many film premieres around the year, this place is hard to miss if you are a visitor in London.

History

The area is named after Leicester House, owned by Robert Sidney, the 2nd Earl of Leicester. The place caught on by the name Leicester Field, and now Leicester Square. Later in the 18th century, the square became the property of the then Prince of Wales, Frederick. The place started transforming into an entertainment hub and soon enough, it boasted of world-wide attractions and theatres, and even restaurants and hotels.

The place also has the TKTS, London’s well regulated, licensed and trusted 3rd party dealer of tickets to shows in theatres in the square. This place sells tickets for almost less than half the regular price and one should brace themselves for long queues to get tickets, especially during the holidays.

Have an insightful time at Leicester Square, full of live shows and the best of cinema and performances at the many amazing theatres at this famous tourist attraction in London.

Landmarks Around Leciester Square

- Swiss Glockenspiel: This iconic steel clock, which was a gift from Switzerland and Liechtenstein, greets you when you pass by the Swiss Center, and rings every hour, with the 11 figures inside moving around merrily with the 27 chiming bells.

- Statue Galore: Find statues of famous personalities in the area of people such as Charlie Chaplin, Sir Isaac Newton, Josh Hunter, William Shakespeare, etc.

- Planet Hollywood Star Walk: Spot engraved on the floor the names and hand impressions of famous Hollywood personalities such as Tom Cruise and Sylvester Stallone amongst others.

- Street Performances: Many street performances keep taking place around the square. Clap along and have a great time enjoying them, and make sure to pay the performers if you intend on watching their act.

- Radio Station Headquarters: The square is the headquarters of the Global Radio and also has offices of other radio stations like Gold, LBC, Heart, Classic FM, etc.

- M&M Store: Apart from filling your tummies with desserts from the many bakeries around, do visit the huge M&M store in the area, which is claimed can store 100 double decker buses

- Also, don’t miss out on visiting the biggest LEGO store in the world, only at Leicester Square. The opening revealed a 20 feet high Big Ben structure made using 200,000 Legos.

The place is perfectly situated with the Piccadilly Circus on the West, China Town to its North, Covent Garden to its East, and Trafalgar Square to its South. It is a walk-only/ pedestrian-friendly zone, where people can visit any time of the day and even enjoy a meal at one of the many restaurants around the square.