There is provided an in-plane switching type liquid crystal display including (a) first and second polarizing plates facing each other and spaced away from each other, (b) a liquid crystal layer situated between the first and second polarizing plates, orientation azimuth of the liquid crystal layer being caused to vary by an electric field parallel to a substrate, (c) a first compensation layer situated between the first and second polarizing plates, the first compensation layer having positive uniaxial, optical anisotropy, and having an optical axis extending perpendicularly to the substrate, the first compensation layer varying birefringence thereof to thereby compensate for fluctuation in birefringence of the liquid crystal layer, caused by variation of a viewing angle, and (d) a second compensation layer situated between the first and second polarizing plates, the second compensation layer having positive uniaxial, optical anisotropy, and having an optical axis extending in parallel with the substrate and perpendicularly to initial orientation of the liquid crystal layer. Since a variation in birefringence of the first compensation layer cancels a variation in birefringence of the liquid crystal layer, the in-plane switching type liquid crystal display provides qualified images with less color caused by a change in a viewing angle.