A
liquid crystal display device includes: a pair of substrates including an element substrate and a counter substrate; and a
liquid crystal layer interposed between the pair of substrates, wherein the
liquid crystal layer is composed of liquid crystals each having a negative
dielectric anisotropy, indicating that an initial oriented state is vertically-oriented, wherein the element substrate includes a switching element, an insulating layer formed on the switching element, and a pixel
electrode formed on the insulating layer, wherein the pixel
electrode has a plurality of island-shaped portions and a plurality of
branch-shaped portions connecting between the plurality of island-shaped portions, and the switching element and the pixel
electrode are electrically connected to each other via a
contact hole formed in the insulating layer, wherein a spacer for defining the thickness of the liquid
crystal layer is provided at the side of the liquid
crystal layer of at least one substrate of the pair of substrates, and wherein the
contact hole and the spacer are disposed at different locations on the surface of the one substrate and are provided in a region where the island-shaped portions and the
branch-shaped portions of the pixel electrode are not formed.