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Ground Zero: Paying Tribute to Those We Lost

The twin towers of the World Trade Center dominated the skyline of Manhattan Island from the time they were completed in 1973 until that fateful day of September 11, 2001 when two passenger aircraft under the control of terrorist hijackers crashed into the towers. As the world watched, the towers were engulfed in flame until they each collapsed into mountains of rubble and took the lives of nearly 3000 people including 350 brave rescue workers.

There is a gap in the New York skyline

Today, there is a gap in the skyline of lower Manhattan like a missing tooth in the otherwise gleaming smile of the city. The rubble has been removed and the debris cleared from the site which became known as Ground Zero. Plans have been finalized for a new complex of buildings, public spaces and a memorial to fill this gap. Now it is just a big open construction site in the otherwise cramped metropolis of New York City.

There is very little to see at Ground Zero. The large area where the twin towers once stood is now a big construction site. It is a large open area where the ghostly footprints of the twin towers are slowly becoming obliterated by the new construction. The streets abound the site have been reopened. The subway stop beneath the old World Trade Centers has been rebuilt and reopened to the public. There is a long protective fence around the worksite with plenty of viewing ports, so you can observe the progress from the sidewalks of the surrounding streets.

Viewing Ground Zero

It's a good idea to visit St. Paul's Chapel on Broadway and Fulton Streets near Ground Zero. People, including friends and families of victims as well as international visitors, began leaving mementos on the fence in front of the chapel. The St. Paul's staff quickly erected a temporary wall on their front and side fences for all of the items. This "wall of memories" grew into an amazing impromptu memorial. People attached thousands of posters, flags, signs, mementos and personal belongings of the loved ones that were lost in the disaster. You could see messages of grief and condolence written in many languages. Visiting that wall of memories was a sad and moving experience. Unfortunately, the church has removed the wall and placed the mementos in storage. The church does offer an exhibit commemorating the many rescue workers that sought respite and and solace in the chapel during the long cleanup operation.

You can catch a glimpse of Ground Zero from the top of the Empire State Building but it is quite a distance away. You can also see it from helicopter tours of the city or from the circle line boat tours. You can see it from this web cam link: www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/groundzero

A temporary memorial to the World Trade Center disaster has been erected in Battery Park. The mangled centerpiece of the fountain that once adorned the plaza at the Word Trade Centers. originally known as: "The Sphere for Plaza Fountain" now stands in memory of those who lost their lives in the September 11 attack. On the first anniversary of the disaster, an eternal flame was lit at the Battery Park Memorial. Eventually, a permanent memorial will be constructed at Ground Zero.

One of the best ways to see Ground Zero and to experience the World Financial Center neighborhood around the disaster site is by taking a professionally guided walking tour of Lower Manhattan. New York City Vacation Packages offers walking tours of Lower Manhattan every Saturday and Sunday morning at 9 AM. Their guide meets you at a midtown rendezvouz near your hotel, and escorts you on the New York Subway to downtown Manhattan, then shows you many of the historic sights, and takes you to the viewing platform at Ground Zero. The tour costs only $15 per adult plus the subway fare.