The Elephant and Castle is a shopping centre and junction within London, and is named after a local 18th century inn. The area was at its peak between 1880 and 1940, when many shops lined the roads around the junction. The area was totally destroyed during the Blitz, but was rebuilt in the brutalist architectural style of the 1950’s and 1960’s. The shopping centre was the first of its kind in Europe, and has the distinctive Elephant statue at its entrance. The centre is looking a little worn, and is to undergo a £1.5 million refurbishment.
