Ground Zero

I feel like one of the things that I must do every time I visit New York City (all two times in my life that I've ever been there, at least), is to visit the National September 11 Memorial at Ground Zero.

The last, and so far, only other time, that I had visited New York in 2013, One World Trade Center (previously called the "Freedom Tower") was still under construction. Today, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere (and the 7th tallest in the world), proudly rises about the New York City skyline as a symbol of resilience in the aftermath of tragedy.

The memorial itself consists of two square reflecting pools entitled Reflecting Absence, each one located on the footprint of the twin towers. The water in the pools flows downwards into the ground.

The names of the victims of the attacks (including those from the Pentagon, American Airlines Flight 77, United Airlines Flight 93, as well as those from the 1993 World Trade Center bombing) are inscribed on the parapets surrounding the waterfalls. It's a very somber and meaningful place to visit.

Nearby stands The Sphere, officially Große Kugelkaryatide N.Y., a huge bronze sculpture created by German artist Fritz Koenig.

The Sphere, the world's largest bronze statue, once stood in the plaza between the two twin towers. It survived the collapse of the towers, although was badly damaged.

Große Kugelkaryatide N.Y. (1976)
Koenig, Fritz, 1924-2017, sculptor
Yamasaki, Minoru, 1912-1986, architect

Today, The Sphere, unrepaired to represent the damage, loss, and toll of the attacks, remains yet another symbol that life goes on, and that Americans haven't given up.