National September 11 Memorial & Museum

The National September 11 Memorial remembers the victims of the World Trade Center attacks of September 2001. This commemorative square is a quiet place of thought, counterposed with the hustle and bustle of Lower Manhattan.Ground Zero saw a lot of thought and discussion about how best to remember the dead in the years following 9/11. That has resulted in Memorial Plaza, a place of solemn reflection in a beautiful city square which is shaded by some 400 trees, and is also open to local workers, citizens and visitors. It was first opened to loved ones of the victims on the tenth anniversary of the attacks, September 11 2011, and to the public the next day.There are two enormous ponds on the sites of each of the Twin Towers, both containing a cascading waterfall representing the loss of life. The names of the 2,977 people who perished are inscribed on the walls of both ponds. Survivor Tree is another emblem of the site – this is a pear tree which was found heavily burned and damaged underneath the rubble of the buildings, but which managed to stay alive, and is now thriving again. It stands as a symbol of hope on the square.The 9/11 Memorial Museum is due to open in 2014. The design of the building entry depicts the image of one of the Towers on its side, and it will contain artefacts from that fateful day.The One World Trade Center (also known as Freedom Tower) was recently completed and is now the third-tallest building in the world, at 541 metres, since its completion in May 2013.The National September 11 Memorial is found in Lower Manhattan, and is easily reached by bus or on the subway. Entry to the Memorial is free of charge, but a visitor pass is required – check on the website for more information.