9/11 Memorial in New York

The 9/11 Memorial in New York, at Ground Zero, is the memorial commemorating the victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the victims of the earlier WTC bombing on 26 February 1993. The monument was opened to the public on September 11th 2011. Anyone can visit the 9/11 memorial for free.

9/11 Memorial in New York

A total of 2983 people lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks. All their names are engraved in bronze, around the two enormous memorial pools that form the heart of the memorial. Both the North and South Pool stand on the spot where the Twin Towers once stood, and they are surrounded by trees. One of these trees is the Survival Tree, the only tree in the area to have survived the attacks. The tree was discovered by rescue workers in October 2001 and was badly damaged with broken roots and branches. After careful restoration of the tree, it was returned to the memorial in 2010. Today, the tree stands as a living reminder of resilience, survival and rebirth. It can be found next to the South Tower Pool. The 9/11 Memorial is a truly impressive place, particularly after dark, when the sadness that lurks here is especially tangible.

Area around 9/11 Memorial

Over the years, in addition to the 9/11 Memorial itself, other memorial sites have been added to remember the suffering of 9/11. These can be found in the area around the memorial pools.

9/11 Memorial Glade

In addition to the victims that died on 9/11 itself, thousands more became ill and died later. Many of them were in the vicinity of the attacks, helped to restore Ground Zero or were aid workers on the day itself. For all the people, and their loved ones, who were sick, injured or died as a result of the attacks, there is the 9/11 Memorial Glade. The monument consists of six monoliths and is located next to the South Tower Pool.

FDNY Memorial Wall

On 9/11, 343 firefighters lost their lives. The FDNY Memorial Wall is dedicated to them. The bronze artwork has the Twin Tower as its focal point and shows all types of vehicles and tools that were used that day. At the same time, the event can be seen in chronological order. The memorial for the firefighters can be found diagonally opposite the 9/11 Memorial, against the wall of Fire Station Ladder 10.

Liberty Park

Liberty Park is a park overlooking the memorial and the Freedom Tower. On the west side of this park is The World Trade Center Sphere, also known as The Sphere. This large bronze statue originally stood between the Twin Towers and has been largely restored. On the other side of the park is the St. Nicholas National Shrine, a Greek Orthodox church. The original church was destroyed during the attacks and has now been rebuilt very close by.

9/11 Memorial Tours

There are several tours that you can take that focus on 9/11. For example, you can take the 9/11 Memorial Tour with optional entrance to the 9/11 Museum. During the 2-hour tour, the guide takes you around the World Trade Center area and informs you of the events of September 11th, 2001 and the memorial site.

You can also take a tour of the Financial District, the area that was affected by the attacks. If you want to learn more about the Financial District and the impact of 9/11 on this part of Manhattan, you can take the 9/11 Memorial and Financial District Walking Tour.

9/11 Museum

Next to the 9/11 Memorial, you can find the 9/11 Museum. This museum is located underground so that you can see parts of the original columns of the Twin Towers. When visiting the museum, you can see impressive objects and hear stories from and about victims of the attacks.

One World Trade Center

During the reconstruction of Ground Zero, new skyscrapers were built to form the current World Trade Center. The most famous of these is One World Trade Center, also called the Freedom Tower. This is not only the tallest building in New York but also in the United States and the Western Hemisphere. You can also visit One World Observatory, the highest observation deck in New York. From the 102nd floor, visitors have a 360-degree view of the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge and Midtown Manhattan.

Oculus

The Oculus is not to be missed at the World Trade Center. The white building, which is supposed to represent a bird, serves as a public transport and shopping complex. There is a small opening in the roof, through which the sun shines in at 10:28 precisely on 11 September, the exact time when the second tower collapsed.

Other 9/11 Memorials in and around New York

There are also other 9/11 Memorials in and around New York. On the platform of the WTC PATH station, you can see sections of the original framework and concrete of the Twin Towers on display. On the other side of the Hudson River, in New Jersey, lies the Empty Sky Memorial, located right across from World Trade Center.

A ferry ride from Ground Zero is the Staten Island September 11th Memorial, dedicated to the residents of the borough who died in the WTC attacks. Located on Staten Island waterfront, the work, entitled Postcards, points directly towards where the Twin Towers once stood.

Practical Information

The memorial is free to visit and you can spend as much time there as you want. You may bring snacks and small bottles to the 9/11 Memorial. Just keep in mind that this is a quiet place with a great emotional charge, where people are expected to behave respectfully.

• Opening hours: Daily from 08:00 to 20:00. It is not possible to access the memorial pools outside opening hours. You can only see them from a distance.
• How to get there: Take the subway line A, C, J, Z, 2, 3, 4, or 5 to Fulton Street or line R to Cortlandt Street. You can also take line E to World Trade Center station.