Ground Zero, New York - all you need to know

The term ‘Ground Zero’ was originally used in English to refer to the site of an atomic bomb explosion. However, following the tragic terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 on the Twin Towers in New York, the skyscrapers of the World Trade Centre, the term has come to be used to refer to the area of Lower Manhattan where the attacks took place.

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The original World Trade Centre complex consisted of seven buildings, two of which – the almost identical skyscrapers known as the Twin Towers – stood at 420 metres and were for a long time the tallest buildings in the world.

However, following the attacks of September 2001, which remain vivid in the memories of many of us, virtually nothing remained of the World Trade Centre. Both towers, the North and South, collapsed, taking all the surrounding buildings with them.

After the removal of almost 2 million tonnes of rubble, which took more than 8 months, the empty site was spontaneously named Ground Zero.

Adjacent to Ground Zero stands the new World Trade Centre skyscraper, known as One World Trade Centre.

The National 9/11 Memorial: two infinity pools

The centrepiece of Ground Zero is an almost mystical memorial consisting of two pools, known asthe ‘Reflecting Absence’ project. The two identical pools, covering an area of 4,000^{m², precisely}replicate the foundations of the Twin Towers; artificial waterfalls run around their perimeter, cascading into the depths at the centre of the pools, the bottom of which cannot be seen from any point around the perimeter.

The water falling into the infinite void symbolises the loss of life and the sense of physical emptiness following the attacks.

Around the entire perimeter of the pools, the names of the 2,983 victims are engraved on bronze plaques, of whom 2,977 were killed in the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 and 6 died in the 1993 bombing of the WTC car parks.

The memorial was unveiled on the 10th anniversary of the attacks and includes, amongst other things, the so-called ‘Survival Tree’ – a tree that miraculously survived the collapse of the rubble and is now surrounded by dozens of other trees.

Ground Zero Memorial Pool

The Twin Towers as they appeared before the attacks in September 2001

White roses by the victims’ names

When you arrive at the 9/11 Memorial, you will no doubt notice that every day, several white roses are placed on the plaques bearing the victims’ names, seemingly at random. Every morning, staff from the adjacent museum place these white flowers next to the names of those who would have had a birthday on that particular day.

Of course, you will also see other flowers or American flags placed there by the victims’ relatives or friends.

Admission to the memorial: free
Opening hours: 24/7
Official information:911memorial.org/visit/memorial

A white rose next to the victim’s name

The 9/11 Museum

Just a few steps from the pools, visit the underground museum, which covers all the events of the terrorist attacks and preserves the memories for future generations. Although many people approach a museum dedicated to a terrorist attack with a negative attitude from the outset, we can certainly recommend a visit.

The events of 11 September 2001 were significant for the whole world, and the museum highlights this fact in a very objective manner, alongside a very tasteful tribute to the victims – ordinary people as well as the firefighters and police officers who helped deal with the aftermath of the attack.

One of the main exhibits is a section of the preserved structure of one of the towers, as well as a fire engine that was partially crushed by the collapse of the skyscrapers.

An emotional part of the exhibition, known as Memorial Hall, displays photographs and stories of all the nearly 3,000 victims, as well as audio recordings of people from around the world describing how they felt and what they were doing when they heard about the attacks. To be honest, those of you who remember the terrorist attack on New York will undoubtedly know exactly where you were at that very moment.

Admission: 36 usd for adults, 30 usd for seniors and young people, 24 usd for children aged 7–12; tickets can be purchased online
Opening hours: daily 10:00–17:00
Official website:911memorial.org/visit/museum

The museum and part of the Twin Towers’ structure

Beams of light reaching up to the heavens

Every year on the evening of 11 September, powerful spotlights positioned exactly at the centre of the pools – that is, at the centre of the foundations of the North and South Towers of the former Twin Towers – are switched on, creating a commemorative illusion of the buildings reaching up to the sky.

Tribute in Light

Hotels near Ground Zero

You’ll find a number of larger hotels in Lower Manhattan; however, given the location’s high profile right in the commercial heart of New York, expect prices to typically range between 5,000 and 330 eur per night. Closest to Ground Zero, we’d recommend these well-reviewed hotels, which offer reasonable prices by local standards:

How do I get to Ground Zero?

Ground Zero is situated in Lower Manhattan and is easily accessible by the underground, though you can easily explore the sights in this part of the city on foot.

One such attraction is the nearest underground station, which is connected to the Westfield shopping centre and features a very interesting architectural entrance. This entrance forms part of the giant WTC Transportation Hub, which connects the following underground stations:

WTC Cortlandt: Red Line 1
Cortlandt St: Yellow lines R, W
Fulton St: Red lines 2, 3; Green lines 4, 5; Blue lines A, C; Brown lines J, Z
World Trade Center: Blue Line E
Chambers St: Blue lines A, C
Park Place: Red lines 2, 3