Times Square, Commercial intersection at Broadway and Seventh Avenue, Manhattan, US
Times Square is a commercial crossroads in Manhattan where Broadway and Seventh Avenue meet between 42nd and 47th Streets. Digital advertising screens reaching up to 90 feet (27 meters) high light up the facades of surrounding towers around the clock, while pedestrian plazas with red steps and benches fill the wide sidewalks.
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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