A liquid crystal display includes a first insulating substrate, thin film
transistors formed on the first insulating substrate, and pixel
electrodes connected to the thin film transistors each with an opening
pattern. A second insulating substrate faces the first insulating
substrate. A black matrix and color filters are formed on the second
insulating substrate, and a common electrode covers the black matrix and
the color filters. A protrusion pattern is formed on the common
electrode. The protrusion pattern is pillar-shaped with top and bottom
sides. The top and bottom sides of the protrusion pattern are shaped with
a circle, a rectangle, or a rectangle with curved edges. The protrusion
pattern includes a protrusion having a relatively small thickness, and a
protrusion having a relatively large thickness. The former protrusion is
used for domain partitioning, and the latter protrusion is used as a
spacer. A vertical alignment layer is internally formed on the
substrates, and a liquid crystal is injected in-between the substrates.
Polarizing plates are externally attached to the substrates,
respectively. A bi-axial film and a .lamda./4 plate are interposed
between the respective substrates and the respective polarizing plates.
The bi-axial film and the .lamda./4 plate transform the linear-polarizing
into a circular-polarizing.