One World Trade Center is the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It is the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere, and the sixth-tallest in the world. One World Trade Center --or Freedom Tower as most call it -- was built to show the resilience (quick to recover) of the American spirit after the devastating terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. This week we will look at Freedom Tower and the memorial to those who lost their lives on that infamous (means "disgraceful" or "wicked") day.
Six months after a terrorist attack destroyed the World Trade Center twin towers in New York City, a "Tribute in Light" was lit in Manhattan.
DAY 2: ONE WORLD OBSERVATORY GLOBAL WELCOME CENTER Upon entry, Guests are greeted in the Global Welcome Center, where a large video board features salutations in an array of languages, and a dynamically generated world map highlights the hometowns of visitors. All admission is timed ticket entry.
VOICES AND FOUNDATIONS Guests experience a program titled “Voices,” which tells the personal stories of the men and women who built One World Trade Center. Next, “Foundations” provides Guests with a close up view of the very bedrock on which the building stands.
SKY POD ELEVATORS Guests board one of five dedicated elevators to ascend to the 102nd floor in under 60 seconds. Immersive, floor-to-ceiling LED technology in each cab invites Guests to experience a virtual time-lapse that recreates the development of New York City’s skyline from the 1500s to present day.
MAIN OBSERVATORY On the 100th floor of the Observatory, also known as the Discovery Level, Guests experience expansive, 360-degree views in all directions, taking in the iconic sights, surrounding waters and panoramic views of the city and beyond.
SKY PORTAL The Main Observatory also features the Sky Portal. Guests are invited to step onto a 14-foot wide circular disc that delivers an unforgettable view, using real-time, high-definition footage of the streets below.
CITY PULSE This interactive skyline concierge allows Guests to deeply connect with the landmarks and neighborhoods they observe from above. At City Pulse, global ambassadors are stationed under a ring of HD video monitors and outfitted in gesture recognition technology, summoning imagery to the screens and providing Guests with close-up views and personalized recommendations.
DAY 3: The National September 11 Memorialis a tribute of remembrance and honor to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center site, near Shanksville, Pa., and at the Pentagon, as well as the six people killed in the World Trade Center bombing in February 1993. The Memorial’s twin reflecting pools are each nearly an acre in size and feature the largest manmade waterfalls in North America. The pools sit within the footprints where the Twin Towers once stood. The names of every person who died in the 2001 and 1993 attacks are inscribed into bronze panels edging the Memorial pools, a powerful reminder of the largest loss of life resulting from a foreign attack on American soil and the greatest single loss of rescue personnel in American history.
DAY 4: A callery pear tree became known as the "Survivor Tree" after enduring the September 11, 2001 terror attacks at the World Trade Center. In October 2001, the tree was discovered at Ground Zero severely damaged, with snapped roots and burned and broken branches. The tree was removed from the rubble and placed in the care of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. After its recovery and rehabilitation, the tree was returned to the Memorial in 2010. New, smooth limbs extended from the gnarled stumps, creating a visible demarcation between the tree’s past and present. Today, the tree stands as a living reminder of resilience, survival and rebirth.
