Leeds City Square

City Square is a paved open area in Leeds city centre in West Yorkshire, England.

In 1897, Leeds City Council wanted to improve the open space near to the (Old) Post Office. Work was completed in 1899. The city square was enhanced with the erection of statues, the grandest being the Black Prince on horseback in bronze by Thomas Brock. There are other statues of other worthy local people (Joseph Priestley, John Harrison, James Watt and Dr Walter Hook) and statues of eight nymphs, light standards by sculptor Alfred Drury.

In the Second World War, during an air raid on Leeds, the Luftwaffe bombed City Square. It was at the time the site of a public air raid shelter, which did not withstand the bombing and was significantly damaged.

Between the 1960s and 1995, the north of City Square was home to the Norwich Union building and another office block with an adjoining skyway. This was intended to go across the whole city centre but was never completed. After being voted the ugliest in the United Kingdom, the buildings to the north of city square were demolished and rebuilt.

In 1997, traffic that went through the City Square, mainly buses and taxis, was diverted to the Leeds City Centre "Loop" traffic scheme. The City Square area was refurbished in the early 2000s, which included closing off one side of the square to traffic, rearranging the statues and adding fountains and traditional street furniture to the square.

The White Rose Way walking trail starts at the foot of the Black Prince Statue.

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