Piccadilly, c. 1900

Piccadilly, c. 1900

Picadilly Circus, 1948

Picadilly Circus, 23rd July, 1948

Regent Street, circa 1890

Regent Street, circa 1890
(Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Piccadilly Circus, c. 1900

Piccadilly Circus, c. 1900

Snow Globe over Anteros

Son of Ares and Aphrodite, Anteros was given to his brother Eros as a playmate. In Greek mythology, he was the God of requited love. He punishes those who don't correspond to the love of others, so it is the avenger of Cupid. 

The most important statue of Anteros in the world is located on the top of the Shaftesbury Monument Memorial Fountain in Piccadilly Circus. The landmark, popularly mistaken for Eros, is known as well as The Angel of Christian Charity. The monument, erected in 1892 by Alfred Gilbert, represents the philanthropic works of Lord Shaftesbury with the poor people.

But this monument has a difficult story. The statue was made from aluminium, whilst the fountain is cast in bronze, and it was damaged several times when vandals tried to climb to the God, specially on the lead up to New Years.