Statue of William Shakespeare
The Statue of William Shakespeare in Leicester Square is one of London's most beloved and recognisable public monuments, standing as a tribute to England's greatest playwright in the heart of the West End. Unveiled in 1874, this bronze figure occupies the central position in Leicester Square Gardens, a formal garden space that has been transformed over the centuries from a fashionable private pleasure ground into one of the most visited public squares in the world. The statue is notable not only for its artistic quality but for its symbolic position: it stands at the very centre of London's theatrical and entertainment district, surrounded by cinemas, theatres, and restaurants, serving as a kind of secular patron saint of the creative arts that define the area.
The statue was created by the sculptor Giovanni Fontana and depicts Shakespeare in a contemplative pose, leaning gently against a pedestal with his arm resting upon it and his head bowed slightly in thought. He holds a scroll, and at the base of the monument are busts of some of the most celebrated characters he created. The work was installed as part of a broader Victorian effort to refurbish and civilise Leicester Square, which had fallen into a period of neglect and disrepute by the mid-nineteenth century. The square was eventually acquired by the Metropolitan Board of Works and opened as a public garden in 1874, with the Shakespeare statue as its centrepiece, a conscious choice that linked the space to England's cultural heritage.
In person, the statue has a commanding yet approachable quality. The bronze has darkened with age and London's damp air, giving it a rich, almost black patina that makes it stand out dramatically against the lighter stonework of the pedestal and surrounding garden. Visitors inevitably gather around it throughout the day, photographing it from every angle, and it is particularly striking in the evenings when the garden is illuminated and the surrounding neon of the cinema fronts creates a vivid contrast between timeless art and contemporary spectacle. There is a constant low hum of the city around you, the chatter of tourists, the rumble of taxis on the surrounding roads, and the occasional peal of music from a nearby venue.
Leicester Square itself is surrounded by some of London's most famous entertainment landmarks. The Odeon and Vue cinemas line the perimeter, and major film premieres are held on the square several times a year, temporarily transforming it into a carpet of red barriers and screaming fans. The National Portrait Gallery lies a short walk to the north, and the National Gallery and Trafalgar Square are just beyond that. Chinatown and the dense, fragrant streets of Gerrard Street are immediately to the north of the square, while Covent Garden with its piazza and street performers is a short walk to the east.
Getting to the statue is extremely easy. Leicester Square underground station is right on the square's eastern edge, served by the Northern and Piccadilly lines, making this one of the most accessible spots in London. The area is busy at virtually all hours, but the square itself is at its most atmospheric either early in the morning before the crowds arrive or in the evening, when the lights of the West End come to life. The gardens are open to the public and there is no admission charge. The statue is fully accessible, being at ground level in the open public park, though the square itself can become very congested on weekends and during major events.
One of the more charming details about the statue is the inscription at its base, which reads "There is no darkness but ignorance," a line taken from Twelfth Night. This small humanist motto, chosen deliberately for a public space in the heart of a democratic city, gives the monument an unusually philosophical character. It is also worth noting that Shakespeare is flanked by four smaller busts around the pedestal — representing Reynolds, Hogarth, Newton, and Hunter — former residents of or figures associated with the square, making the monument as much a tribute to Leicester Square's own distinguished history as it is to the Bard himself.