9/11 memorial in New York – history, photo, description, address, map
The morning of September 11, 2001 began as usual. New Yorkers went about their usual business. Someone ran into a cafe to drink a cup of coffee, someone was preparing for important business negotiations, and someone was taking the elevator of one of the skyscrapers of the twin towers. There were no signs of an impending disaster. And a few moments later, millions of TV viewers around the world watched live as at 08:46 the plane suddenly crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center.
Terrorist act
It was impossible to believe in the terrible event that had taken place, but the giant skyscrapers collapsing before our eyes did not leave thousands of people any chance of salvation. Four terrorist attacks were launched not only on the central part of the city, but also on the Pentagon. The fourth attack was stopped by the passengers of the airliner at the cost of their own lives, trying to take control of it during the flight. As a result, this aircraft was withdrawn from major US strategic facilities and crashed in Pennsylvania.
Consequences
The consequences of the terrorist attack, known as 9/11, are horrific in terms of the number of deaths: 2,606 people failed to escape and died in the towers, 246 passengers and crew members died in four hijacked planes, 125 people were among the dead in the Pentagon. Citizens of 90 countries turned out to have died at the hands of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, who claimed responsibility for the atrocity. Among those who accepted death were those who were the first to rush to the epicenter of the disaster, and took all of its impact on themselves: the police – 72 people, 55 military personnel and 343 firefighters.
Memorial complex and museum
Shortly after the disaster, a memorial complex and a museum were erected on the site of the twin towers to perpetuate the memory of the innocent victims of terrorist attacks. The official opening of the memorial on September 11, 2011 was timed to coincide with the sad anniversary. Every year, this September day is celebrated by Americans and residents of many countries of the world as a day of mourning for those who died as a result of terrorist attacks.
Where is the memorial
The memorial is located in the lower part of Manhattan in the center of New York and is a park with large monuments – “pools” located on the site of destroyed skyscrapers. The monuments are created in the form of giant waterfalls that flow along the edges of huge pools. The bottomless hole in the center of the tank, where the water goes, symbolizes the abyss that has swallowed up thousands of human lives.
Flowing water symbolizes the transience of human existence and at the same time the continuous flow of life, which does not stop, no matter what. On the huge perimeter of the pool are the names of all those who died during the explosion of the shopping center. On the bronze edging of the Memorial Pools, you can also see the names of the 100 dead Russian citizens. You can find detailed information about each of the victims of the terrorist attack at any of the special information kiosks located nearby.
Unique oak and church
On the territory of the memorial complex there is an amazing oak tree that survived the terrorist attack after the tree was buried under a ton of rubble. After a terrible disaster, only one stump remained from the oak, which was transplanted in the park. Now the tree has formed a dense crown and, looking at it, one wants to believe in the triumph of life over death. Very close to the memorial is the Church of St. Paul, built in 1766. It is all the more surprising that the church building survived the terrorist attack, and along with the revived oak, this old church is another symbol of resilience and invulnerability.
Exhibits
It is no coincidence that a museum is located inside the church, which presents exhibits that testify to those tragic events. Here you can see the equipment and overalls of firefighters who took part in extinguishing the burning buildings of the twin towers. In one of the halls, you can see the symbols of New York, carved from steel, which was part of the walls of the destroyed skyscrapers. Not far from the church building there is a huge bell dedicated to those tragic September events.
How to get to the memorial
To enter the territory of the Memorial, it is necessary to go through a thorough inspection procedure using metal detectors. This is due to the conditions of compliance with the special security of this place. Therefore, some time will have to spend in line. Despite strict screening, visiting the Memorial is free, but each visitor can pay any amount for the entrance ticket as a donation. It should be noted that 500 million dollars were spent on the creation of the memorial complex.
The memorial is a powerful reminder to all Americans and all the inhabitants of planet Earth that the existing world is quite vulnerable and fragile. This memorial is a reminder that even in the most prosperous country no one is immune from the existing problem of terrorism. This memorial makes everyone think that it is necessary to solve this global problem immediately so that such disasters do not happen again in the future, not only in the United States, but also in other equally prosperous countries.