Leicester Square

Date

1670 (development began)

Location

Europe->United Kingdom->England->Greater London->London

Description

Leicester Square is located in the west end of London, England in the City of Westminster. It is bound by Lisle Street, Charing Cross Road, Orange Street, and Whitcomb Street. Situated in an area that was once part of a four-acre tract owned by Robert Sydney, the 2nd Earl of Leicester, Leicester Square was open to the public around 1640 after locals protested the privatization of the land that was once common ground.
Development of the area began around 1670 and it became a place to live as homes sprung up around the original Leicester House which, for some time during the very early 1700s, was the home of Frederick, Prince of Wales.
By the late 18th century the square became a space for entertainment venues, such as the "museum of natural curiousoties." Today the square is a car-free area that is lined with several major cinemas, earning it the name "Theatreland." In the center of the square lies a garden with a memorial statue of William Shakespeare.

---