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9/11 Ground Zero | The story of One World Trade Center

On September 11, 2001, the World Trade Center became the scene of a horrific attack. This was one of the targeted sites on American soil in a coordinated terrorist attack led by al Qaeda. Following the crash of two hijacked planes into the Twin Towers, the World Trade Center became transformed into a site of panic and distress and came to be known as Ground Zero for the level of devastation and destruction caused by the attack.

What is 9/11 Ground Zero

9/11 Memorial Museum Ground Zero

The term “ground zero” is usually used to refer to the primary area of detonation in cases of nuclear explosions or devastation relating to the impact of bombs. In explosions taking place above the ground, this term refers to the point on the Earth’s surface directly under the detonation and is sometimes even called the “hypocenter”. After the devastating attacks at the World Trade Center in September 2001, the site surrounding the Twin Towers that was impacted by the plane crashes was named “Ground Zero”, or “The Pile” to refer to the rubble that was left in the wake of the terrorist attacks.

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Significance of 9/11 Ground Zero

9/11 Memorial Museum Ground Zero

After the events of that fateful day, survivors and spectators alike started to refer to the area as Ground Zero. The name reinforced the gravity of the attacks and the impact they had on not just the people of New York, but of the entire world at large. However, as the 10th anniversary of the attacks drew near, the then Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, called for retiring the commonly used term and asked that the world at large acknowledge the site by its renewed identity, One World Trade Center.

9/11 Ground Zero | About the attacks

The 9/11 attacks at the World Trade Center have been one of the deadliest and most harrowing terrorist attacks the world has borne witness to. Led by Osama bin Laden, the terrorist group known as al-Qaeda orchestrated a coordinated strike wherein 19 terrorists hijacked 4 aircrafts in American airspace, targetting 4 significant landmarks on U.S soil.

Out of the 4 targeted buildings, the Twin Towers became 2 targets. After the first plane crashed into the North tower of the World Trade Center, it was presumed to be an unfortunate accident by spectators in the vicinity. But soon enough, while survivors were still being pulled out of the wreckage of the first building, the second aircraft was flown into the South tower of the World Trade Center.

This horrific attack led to almost 3000 deaths and still has a lasting impact on survivors, decades later. After the World Trade Center was attacked, the surrounding region was filled with panicked civilians and hundreds of frenzied first responders attempting to rescue people. The entire neighborhood was transformed into a scene of rubble and debris – what was later to be referred to as “Ground Zero'' for the level of devastation and destruction that ensued.

9/11 Ground Zero | The aftermath

First volunteers and responders at Ground Zero

Half of the New York City Fire Department was deployed to aid rescue efforts at the 9/11 Ground Zero after the attacks. Several off-duty firefighters and emergency medics joined the ranks with them. Although the different rescue units were initially disorganized and faced technical difficulties, they were able to put together a substantial search and rescue operation within mere hours of the attack.

Clearing the debris

In order to organize the search for survivors and streamline the cleanup efforts at the 9/11 Ground Zero, the zone was divided into four sections, each headed by a different chief. Most of the rubble and debris from Ground Zero were trucked out. Surrounding buildings that had sustained damage due to falling debris, were reinforced with mesh to prevent further injuries and damage. Although it was estimated that the cleanup process would take around a year, the collective efforts found fruition in May 2002 when Ground Zero was finally cleared.

Mission to rebuild

Just days after the 9/11 attacks, while Ground Zero was still a smoldering pile of rubble and debris, President George Bush paid a visit to the site. In the hopes to rebuild the shaken morale of the rescue workers and volunteers striving to look for remaining survivors and cleaning up Ground Zero, President Bush delivered a solemn speech to reassure the people that they would heal, and rebuild the World Trade Center as a “symbol of America’s resolve”, coming back stronger from this tragic event.

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Rebuilding 9/11 Ground Zero 

On the day of the attacks, Mayor Rudy Giuliani had sworn that the city’s skyline would be “made whole again”. But before this could begin, there were some things that needed to be agreed upon by all the concerned stakeholders. To ensure the smooth completion of the task at hand, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LDMC) was established in November 2001. Its role of rebuilding Ground Zero to its former glory is overseen by a board of 16 members, half of whom are appointed by the governor, while the other half are appointed by the mayor of New York.

In the months immediately following the attacks, urban planners and architects brainstormed ideas for rebuilding the site. The LMDC sent out formal requests for proposals to redesign the World Trade Center site. However, they soon withdrew these requests and ended up selecting Beyer Blinder Belle as the official planner for rebuilding the 9/11 Ground Zero.

After Belle’s six concepts for the redesign were unveiled and reviewed poorly by the public, LDMC announced a new, international, contest to choose the most suitable architect. Studio Daniel Libeskind officially won this competition and was handed the role of master planner for the redesign of the World Trade Center.

9/11 Memorial & Museum

9/11 Memorial Museum Ground Zero

Part of the plan for rebuilding Ground Zero and returning it to its former state of the World Trade Center site, involved the construction of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum were built to document the impact of the 9/11 attacks and the continuing significance of those harrowing events for survivors today.

The 9/11 Museum honors those who were killed at the site of Ground Zero in 2001, in the aftermath of the attacks on the World Trade Center. The museum employs media, surviving narratives, and a collection of artifacts from Ground Zero, to offer visitors a glimpse into the magnitude and scale of this harrowing event. This is a rare opportunity to intimately experience these personal stories of recovery, loss, and hope.

Plan your visit to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum

The 9/11 Memorial honors every soul that was lost on the fateful day with their names inscribed on the parapets of the two largest man-made waterfalls in America. There are 2983 names carved into the memorial. The 9/11 Memorial pools were designed by Michael Arad and Peter Walker with the concept Reflecting Absence to symbolize the void and loss of life left in the wake of the devastating attacks.

Frequently asked questions about 9/11 Ground Zero

After the 9/11 attacks, the debris left behind was referred to as “the Pile” or “Ground Zero”.

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