Times Square, Commercial intersection at Broadway and Seventh Avenue, Manhattan, US
Times Square is the bowtie-shaped junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, running five blocks between 42nd and 47th Streets. Tall facades on both sides carry stacked vertical and horizontal illuminated panels, among them signs reading "Billy Elliot", "Mamma Mia!" and "Kodak". A dark stone monument with inscribed panels stands on the paved ground at the center.
This crossing received its name in 1904 when The New York Times moved into the newly built Times Building at the intersection. After decline in the 1970s and 1980s, the city launched renewal programs, and since 2009 several street sections have been permanently closed to cars.
About one million people gather here each New Year's Eve to watch the illuminated ball drop from One Times Square. This area serves as North America's main theater district, with over 40 performance venues clustered nearby.
The TKTS booth at 47th Street sells theater tickets at reduced prices for same-day shows. Subway lines N, Q, R, W, 1, 2, 3, and 7 reach the area through several stations, and visitors should keep valuables secure given the heavy foot traffic throughout the day.
A digital display shows the US national debt clock updating government financial figures in real time. The city enforces rules requiring all buildings in the core zone to show illuminated advertising, which gives the area its characteristic bright appearance.
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