A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a liquid crystal layer sealed between a first substrate and a second substrate opposed to each other. Inner surfaces of the first and second substrates have been subjected to aligning treatment to splay-align liquid crystal molecules. The liquid crystal display further includes electrodes formed on the inner surfaces of the first and second substrates to generate an alignment transition electric field to cause the liquid crystal molecules to transit from splay alignment to bend alignment. The alignment transition electric field includes a vertical electric field in the thickness direction of the liquid crystal layer, and a horizontal electric field in a direction parallel to the inner surfaces of the first and second substrates to twist the liquid crystal molecules between the substrates.