The History
Leicester Square:
From garden Square to entertainment capital
1600s to 1800s
The story of how a quiet green space became one of London’s earliest centres of culture and spectacle.
Leicester Square, image source: The London Archives (City of London Corporation)
1801, Barkers Panorama, Leicester Square, image source: The London Archives (City of London Corporation)
c1855, View of the Great Globe, Leicester Square, by Walker, E., image source: The London Archives (City of London Corporation)
1851, Wyld's model of the Earth, Leicester Square, image source: The London Archives (City of London Corporation)
1900s to today
From wartime damage to world-famous premieres.
Leicester Square: looking north east, image source: The London Archives (City of London Corporation)
1966, Odeon Cinema, Leicester Square, image source: The London Archives (City of London Corporation)
Film premiere event at Leicester Square
