A liquid crystal display apparatus has a liquid crystal display device, a surface light source, and a view angle limiting device arranged between the surface light source and the liquid crystal display device. The view angle limiting device includes first and second transparent plates facing each other with a gap therebetween, a plurality of first ½ retardation layers having a predetermined shape formed to be spaced apart from each other on one of the facing inner surfaces of the first and second transparent plates, a plurality of second ½ retardation layers formed on the other inner surface at regions corresponding to the regions between the first ½ retardation layers, and a polarizing film provided at the outer surface of one of the first and second transparent plates that faces the surface light source.