Times Square

Times Square is a major commercial intersection and entertainment hub in Manhattan, New York City.

It serves as a vital neighborhood within the Midtown section of the city. This area is defined by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Because Broadway runs diagonally across the standard street grid, the area forms a unique shape. This shape is often described as a bowtie.

The bowtie consists of two triangles located between 42nd and 47th Streets. The southern triangle is the official Times Square. The northern triangle is known as Duffy Square.

The physical layout of the area is shaped by specific urban planning. The intersection occurs where Seventh Avenue meets the diagonal path of Broadway. This intersection creates the two distinct triangular sections of the bowtie plaza. The northern section, Duffy Square, is a significant part of the larger area. It is home to several notable statues and public features. One major feature is the TKTS booth, which sells discounted theater tickets.

This booth has been a part of the square since June 1973. The square also contains a large public viewing grandstand along its north side.

Times Square is a center for global entertainment and massive crowds. It is the heart of the Broadway Theater District. Many of the world's most famous theaters are located in this immediate area. The district is famous for its dazzling digital billboards and advertisements. These lights provide 24/7 service, making the area bright at all hours. The scale of human movement here is immense. An estimated 50 million visitors arrive at Times Square every year. On its busiest days, more than 460,000 pedestrians walk through the intersection. Daily, approximately 330,000 people pass through the area. The nearby subway stations are among the busiest in the New York City system. These stations transport more than 200,000 passengers every single day.

The history of the area began with the natural landscape of Manhattan. Long ago, three small streams joined near 40th Street and 10th Avenue. This waterway was called the Great Kill, which is Dutch for a large stream. The area was once a low-lying valley filled with fish and waterfowl. Later, the land became a place for farming and horse breeding. By 1872, the area was the center of the horse carriage industry. At that time, the location was known as Longacre Square.

The name was inspired by Long Acre in London.

A major change occurred in 1904 when the area was renamed. The New York Times moved its headquarters to a new skyscraper. This building was located at the intersection of 42nd Street and Broadway. The skyscraper was then called the Times Building, but it is now known as One Times Square.

This move transformed the identity of the neighborhood. Before this, some people called the area the "Thieves Lair" due to its reputation. However, the arrival of the newspaper helped shift the area toward commerce and theater.

One of the most famous traditions in Times Square is the New Year's Eve ball drop. This event began on December 31, 1907. In the beginning, the organizers used pyrotechnics to signal the new year. They eventually switched to a less flammable method. They created an iron-and-wood ball that was five feet in diameter. This ball had 100 bulbs, each producing 25 watts, mounted on it.

Today, the event attracts over one million people to the streets. It also reaches a global audience of one billion or more via digital media.

Times Square holds deep connections to American travel and culture. It serves as the eastern terminus of the Lincoln Highway. This was the first road to cross the entire United States. The highway was formed in 1913 and stretched 3,389 miles from New York to San Francisco. Because of its central role, the area has many nicknames. People call it the "Crossroads of the World" and the "Center of the Universe." It is also known as the "heart of the Great White Way." This nickname refers to the intense electric lights that define the Broadway district.