The Horses of Helios

The Horses of Helios is a bronze sculpture of four rearing horses by Rudy Weller, installed in 1991 at the base of the Criterion Building in the City of Westminster. The four horses represent Aethon, Eous, Phlegon, and Pyrois, the horses of Helios, the Greek god of the sun. One pair of horses weighs about four tonnes, while two single horses complete the set. The sculpture appears to burst from a fountain’s water under a canopy near the corner of Haymarket and Coventry Street, close to Piccadilly Circus. It forms half of a 1992 commission, paired with the Daughters of Helios sculpture above. The work is worth seeing for its bold design and mythological theme. The fountain, once inactive behind a security fence, now sometimes operates again after the fence was removed at the end of 2024. The horses’ dark patina contrasts with the golden figures of the Three Graces on the roof. Their placement—one group at ground level, the other six storeys up—creates a striking vertical dialogue. The Criterion Theatre’s 1992 refurbishment brought both sculptures to life. Visitors find the horses dramatically positioned at the building’s corner, framed by the theatre and surrounding streets. The fountain’s water adds movement to the scene when active. Above, the golden Daughters of Helios seem to leap from the rooftop, completing the composition. The setting blends classical art with modern urban life near Piccadilly Circus. The sculptures invite a moment of reflection on myth and movement in the heart of London.