A liquid crystal display apparatus, provided with liquid crystal compensation plates and .lamda./4 plates on both sides of a liquid crystal cell, in a sequence that the liquid crystal compensation plates, then the .lamda./4 plates. Further provided is Rth compensation film between the .lamda./4 plate and linear polarization film. Set substantially at zero is a retardation Rth1 in a perpendicular direction in a range from the linear polarization films to the .lamda./4 plates, excluding the .lamda./4 plates. This gives a retardation (in a perpendicular direction) for optically compensating the liquid crystal cell a closer position to the liquid crystal cell. As a result, a broad angle of visibility can be maintained, without losing a balance between viewing angle characteristics from the above position (or the bottom position) and those from the right position (or the left position), while it is possible to prevent contrast ratio in a front direction from being lowered. Therefore, an LCD having good display quality can be realized.