Times Square, located
around the intersection of 42nd Street and Broadway, is considered by many the
heart of New York City. It received its name after the headquarters of the New York Times, which has since moved
away. The square is easy to recognize for its neon signs and bright
advertisements. There are several Broadway theaters nearby. After World War II,
the area of Times Square was considered seedy and dangerous, with many porn
shops and prostitutes, but in the 1990s, the neighborhood was ’cleaned up’ to
make it more attractive for tourists. Since 1907, Times Square is the site of
the largest New Year’s Eve celebration in New York. Each year, hundreds of
thousands of people gather on the square to watch a crystal ball being lowered exactly
at midnight.