Times Square

Article By: Dan Hill

4 years ago

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Settlement-Neighbourhood

"The Center of the Universe", "The Heart of the World", "The Crossroads of the World", "The Great White Way". However you refer to New York's Times Square, and whatever you think of it - there's no escaping the fact that here lies one of America's most iconic landmarks - and 131 million annual visitors come here to be a part of it. Bright lights and billboards beam down on passers by - showering their commercial messages and mesmerising those of us from more subdued climes. The competition between pedestrians and traffic along this diagonal intersection has been somewhat tamed - thanks to Mayor Bloomberg's pedestrianisation efforts. A staggering 460,000 people walk in the square on its busiest of days - and thanks to the removal of some of that traffic - there are now significantly fewer traffic-person collisions. To further improve air quality, smoking has been banned in Times Square since 2011 - with a 50 dollar fine for those not adhering to the law. Bang in the centre of mid-town Manhattan, where Broadway and Seventh Avenue intersect, this is the epicentre of the Broadway Theatre District. If you're in New York City for entertainment - you'll be in the "very heart of it" in Times Square. While you're here you could check out Madame Tussauds New York, The Hard Rock Café, The National Geographic Encounter, Ripley's Believe it or Not, the Swing 46 Jazz Club or countless other entertainment venues. There are over 200 cafés and restaurants in Times Square's immediate vicinity. You may think of Times Square as a commercial hub, but it is also home to some 5,800 residents. 172,000 office workers commute through Times Square on a regular day. The square is frequented by costumed characters - who are not actually residents, but may as well be. Here to entertain, it's customary - but not required - to tip them. To find out about on-going festivals and events in the area, visitors can check out the Official NYC Information Centers. The nearest one to Times Square is located at Broadway Plaza between 43rd St and 44th Street - and is closed only on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. News Years Eve holds a special meaning for Times Square - with over 1 million revellers typically attending for the strike of midnight. Photo by Jorge Fernández Salas on Unsplash