A landmark in New York that tourists love but hate locals

There are many places in New York City that tourists love to visit, but the busy locals bypass them. One of these attractions, where up to 50 million people make pilgrimages every year, is described in the blog “50 shades of New York" on Yandex Zen.

So, the most unloved place for New Yorkers is Times Square. This square, located in the heart of the Theater District, at the intersection of Broadway and 7th Avenue. It is considered a symbol of the city and all of the United States. The middle name of the square is the “crossroads of the world.” About 50 million tourists visit this place annually.

Today Times Square is one of the most visited attractions on the planet. It was named after the headquarters of the iconic newspaper The New York Times, which in 1904 moved to a new building located here.

Another reason this place is popular with tourists is the famous crystal ball. It decorates the skyscraper where the editorial office of the famous newspaper is located. Every year at midnight on December 31st, the ball is solemnly descended, symbolizing the coming of the New Year. This beautiful tradition is more than a century old. Residents of different countries strive to witness this action - someone visiting Times Square in person, others watching the celebration on TV.

On the subject: 20 tips from a local resident to tourists who are visiting New York for the first time

Times Square today is not only a point on the map, but an entire area located on the segment from 42nd to 47th streets. It is crowded at any time of the day, and crowds of tourists stare in fascination at huge screens with flashing colorful advertisements. “Hundreds of colorful billboards are the quintessence of mass culture and a symbol of unbridled consumption,” the author notes. - All this looks so redundant and tasteless that it gives rise to its own unique aesthetics. This is kitsch of such proportions that it is impossible not to catch yourself contemplating it. "

It is worth noting that such a kind of "show" is very expensive: a month of advertising broadcast in Times Square costs global brands millions of dollars. But despite this, there are a myriad of ads here.

In addition, the square is always decorated with some fresh installation. Now it is an equestrian statue with the intriguing title "Rumors of War". “Of course, there is no New York without Times Square, and no matter how tired the passage through these crowded streets, no matter how annoying pedestrian traffic jams, it is worth recognizing,” the author emphasized. And he added that for him this place is “one of the city's avatars and an example of American self-irony,” which he likes so much.

As ForumDaily New York wrote earlier:

• Despite the crazy popularity of a crystal ball in Times Square, not everyone knows what path he took to transform himself. About how the ball has changed since 1907 and what it is today - read in this publication.
• Secrets of a Crystal Ball in Times Square we reveal here.
• If you are curious why in New York the lights are on all night, and how much energy the city spends on night lighting of buildings, we recommend reading this material.