What is Times Square?
Quick answer
Times Square is the famous commercial intersection in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, known for its towering digital billboards, Broadway theaters and crowds. It’s where Broadway meets Seventh Avenue.
Key facts
- Location
- Broadway and Seventh Avenue, Midtown Manhattan
- Named
- 1904, after The New York Times
- Former name
- Longacre Square
- Nickname
- The Crossroads of the World
How it got its name
The area was once called Longacre Square, a center for horse dealers and carriage makers. When The New York Times built its new headquarters, One Times Square, the city renamed the square in 1904. The newspaper moved its main offices out in 1913, but the name stayed.
The New Year’s Eve ball drop
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First ball drop | 1907 |
| Where | From the roof of One Times Square |
| Today’s ball | About 3.7 m (12 ft) across, covered in thousands of crystal panels |
| Crowd | Hundreds of thousands in person and many millions watching on TV |
The ball descends during the final minute of the year, reaching the bottom at midnight.
The billboards
Times Square’s huge LED screens are among the most expensive advertising spaces in the world. Zoning rules require buildings there to display bright signs, to keep its famous look. Some screens wrap around entire buildings.
Ups and downs
| Period | Times Square was… |
|---|---|
| Early 1900s | A glamorous theater and entertainment district |
| 1970s–1980s | Known for crime and run-down businesses |
| 1990s | Redeveloped, with family-friendly attractions and big brands |
| 2009 | Parts of Broadway closed to cars and turned into pedestrian plazas |
The Theater District
Times Square is the heart of the Broadway Theater District, with around 40 major theaters nearby. The TKTS booth sells discounted same-day tickets under the red steps.
Visiting tips
It’s busiest in the evening, when the lights are most dramatic. For another iconic New York building, see how many floors are in the Empire State Building. For another famous busy crossing, see the Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo.
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