Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain | |
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Artist | Alfred Gilbert |
Year | 1885–1893 |
Type | Fountain, sculpture |
Medium | Aluminium, bronze |
Dimensions | 1097 cm × 518 cm (432 in × 204 in) |
Location | Piccadilly Circus, London, W1 |
51°30′35″N 0°08′04″W / 51.50984°N 0.13449°W |
The Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain, officially and popularly known as Eros,[1] is a fountain surmounted by a winged statue of Anteros, located at the southeastern side of Piccadilly Circus in London, England. Moved after the Second World War from its original position in the centre of the circus, it was erected in 1892–93 to commemorate the philanthropic works of The 7th Earl of Shaftesbury,[2] the Victorian politician and philanthropist, and his achievement in replacing child labour with school education. The fountain overlooks the south-west end of Shaftesbury Avenue, also named after the Earl.