(NBC) — All this week, NBC’s “TODAY” will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its Studio 1A and adjacent “plaza” in the heart of Manhattan.

The locale was a milestone for the show and tightened the connection with viewers. Many came from around the country and the world to visit “TODAY.”

When Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric christened the street-level studio 30 years ago, “It was a real moment,” said “TODAY” cohost Al Roker.

It was also a throwback to when Dave Garroway started “TODAY” in 1952.

“It was reconnecting with those roots and really saying this is the legacy,” said co-anchor Savannah Guthrie.

A window on the world that also gave the world a window into the inner workings of a medium still in its infancy.

But when NBC transitioned to color in the ‘60s, cameras of the day couldn’t keep up with changing sunlight. That forced “TODAY” into a traditional studio for decades until 1994.

“It was Katie out here and Bryant and it was just so magical,” said Guthrie.

And in the years since, the magic’s only grown.

“There’s a heartbeat and it’s this plaza right here,” said co-anchor Hoda Kotb.

“Over the years, we’ve transformed this plaza into just about everything,” said cohost Craig Melvin.

Concerts featuring the biggest stars.

“I was like, ‘Bruce Springsteen is on our plaza,’” said Kotb.

To the annual Halloween costume party.

“This is the place where Jenna and I achieved our lifelong dream of being Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders,” said Guthrie.

The plaza has become a destination for the “TODAY” extended family.

“It’s raining, snowing, hail, nothing stops the show,” said cohost Carson Daly.

“When people have a special day, something that matters to them, and this is the place that they want to mark it,” said Gutherie.

It’s a connection that brings “TODAY” and its audience closer together.

“Thirty years has gone by like — that,” said Roker.

Who knows what the next 30 years will bring?

“TODAY” will be celebrating great moments on the plaza all this week, starting at 7 a.m.