Times Square is the heart of New York

Times Square is the heart of New York. Visiting it is essential on any trip to this cosmopolitan city as it became its image and the best-known tourist spot. There are around 50 million foreign and American visitors that New York receives each year and logically all of them take their time to explore this area in depth.

The nerve center of the area is the square, which is located at the intersection of Broadway and 7th Avenue, in Midtown Manhattan. That is where the famous red stairs, the illuminated signs, the megastores of many chains, etc. are located. Despite what its name indicates, it is not a typical square since Broadway Avenue crosses the area diagonally, so Times Square is made up of two triangular squares.

In any case, when we talk about Times Square, we usually refer to a much larger area than the square since the theaters, shops, bars, restaurants, museums and attractions in general extend from 42nd to 50th streets, and from 7th Avenue to 8th Avenue.

The name comes from The New York Times newspaper, which in 1904, moved to the One Times Square building. As a result of this the square, which until then was called Longacre Square, changed its name to Times Square. Over time, the newspaper moved and today has its offices in a building near 8th Avenue. The nerve center of the area is the square, which is located at the intersection of Broadway and 7th Avenue, in Midtown Manhattan. That is where the famous red stairs, the illuminated signs, the megastores of many chains, etc. are located. Despite what its name indicates, it is not a typical square since Broadway Avenue crosses the area diagonally, so Times Square is made up of two triangular squares.

In any case, when we talk about Times Square, we usually refer to a much larger area than the square since the theaters, shops, bars, restaurants, museums and attractions in general extend from 42nd to 50th streets, and from 7th Avenue to 8th Avenue.

The name comes from The New York Times newspaper, which in 1904, moved to the One Times Square building. As a result of this the square, which until then was called Longacre Square, changed its name to Times Square. Over time, the newspaper moved and today has its offices in a building near 8th Avenue.

Broadway theaters are part of Times Square, which is located within the Theater District, a slightly larger neighborhood where most of the most commercial and higher-budget works are found, but also those that belong to off-Broadway.

The illuminated signs, a visual reference point for visitors, are as characteristic as the bustle of its streets, which 24 hours a day show an incessant movement of tourists and yellow taxis, perhaps the most portrayed in world cinema.

It is true that the lights and brightness were not always the common denominator of the area since in the 70s and 80s, Times Square was full of strip bars, sex shops and pornographic shows and it was one of the most dangerous and forgotten areas from the city. Only in the 90s, Disney bought the New Amsterdam Theater and opened “Disney Store”, producing what is known among locals as the ‘Disneyfication of Times Square’.

As mentioned above, this area was changing its aesthetics and even its customs, however there are characters that transcend these changes and endure over time, becoming classics of the place. It is impossible to go through Times Square and not take a picture with them: Robert John Burck, better known as The Naked Cowboy, is the most famous street artist in Times Square since he has been walking the streets for several years with Texan boots, a cowboy hat, boxer shorts and a strategically strung guitar that hides his private parts.

In addition, there are costumed characters like Minnie, Mickey, SpongeBob, Superman and the Disney princesses who are the center of attention of the younger children and who willingly take photos with tourists, as long as you help with a tip. It should be clarified that it is not mandatory to do so, but they will surely come out more smiling.

For those tourists who want a cultural attraction, Times Square offers a variety of museums for the whole family, some of them classic and world-renowned, and others more fun and that allow interaction with works of art. Perhaps the most famous of them is Madame Tussauds, where you can see the wax figures of the best-known characters in culture, sports and politics, as well as characters from New York, which makes it attractive for any age. .

Also noteworthy are the Ripley’s Believe it or Not! museum, of strange objects that undoubtedly surprise younger tourists, and the RiseNY where you can review the history of New York and fly over the city with a flight simulator.

For those who do not have their own vehicle or wish to use public transportation, the closest subway station is Times Square – 42nd St (lines 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, S and W). 42 St / Port Authority (A, C, E), 50 St (1) and 49 St (N, R, W), are other stations that allow you to get closer to Times Square.