There are places in this world that seemingly make time stand still. They are places so emotionally charged that writing about them is difficult for me. Ground Zero in New York is exactly such a place that touched me deeply on a personal level.
The Roar in the Middle of Manhattan
Taking the subway towards Lower Manhattan, images of the place are darting through my mind – from the past and the present. But honestly, I wasn’t really prepared for this visit.
Anyone who reaches the South Pool of the 9/11 Memorial in Manhattan is first struck by the acoustics. In the midst of the roaring chaos of New York City, between honking taxis and the bustling activity of Wall Street, a constant, deep roar dominates here. It is the sound of tons of water plunging into the depths.
What strikes me, aside from the indescribable roar, is the behavior of the people. They stand together, whisper to each other, or remain reverently silent.
September 11, 2001, at a Glance – The Hard Facts
The Event: Four terrorist attacks using hijacked commercial airplanes.
The Locations:
- New York City: World Trade Center (North and South Towers).
- Arlington: The Pentagon (Headquarters of the US Department of Defense).
- Shanksville: A field in Pennsylvania (Crash of flight UA93).
Timeline of the Disaster
On that Tuesday morning, 19 terrorists from the Al-Qaeda network hijacked a total of four passenger planes on the US East Coast. They used the aircraft as manned missiles to attack symbols of US economic and military power.
- 08:46 AM: American Airlines Flight 11 crashes into the North Tower (WTC 1) (floors 93–99). It collapses 102 minutes after impact.
- 09:03 AM: United Airlines Flight 175 crashes into the South Tower (WTC 2) live before the eyes of the world press. The South Tower collapses after 56 minutes.
- 09:37 AM: American Airlines Flight 77 crashes into the Pentagon in Washington D.C.
- 10:03 AM: United Airlines Flight 93 crashes near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers fight back.
The Victims:
- A total of 2,977 fatalities.
- People from over 90 nations.
- Over 6,000 injured on the day itself and tens of thousands sickened by long-term effects.
The Emptiness That Remains
After the rubble was cleared, the anxious question arose: “What happens now in this place?” It took years before the decision was made not to rebuild on the footprints of the Twin Towers.
On September 11, 2011, exactly 10 years after the tragedy, the memorial was opened.
It is no monument that proudly reaches into the sky. Where the Twin Towers once stood, two massive, square pools now gape open. Each pool is nearly 4,000 square meters in size, and water plunges into the depths from all four sides. These are the largest man-made waterfalls in North America.
The design for the entire site comes from architects Michael Arad and Peter Walker, who won out over more than 5,000 submissions from 63 nations.
Beneath the Surface: The 9/11 Memorial Museum
Directly beneath the memorial is the 9/11 Memorial Museum. It is a place that makes the raw violence of the collapse comprehensible. Artifacts such as the “Last Column” (the final column removed from Ground Zero) and crushed fire trucks are kept here. I had debated for a long time whether to visit the museum and ultimately decided against it. The plaza alone touched me so emotionally that the museum probably would have exceeded my limits.
Watching over the site today is the new One World Trade Center, which symbolically reaches 1,776 feet (541 meters) into the sky.
Amidst this emptiness, there is one place that has literally taken root: the Survivor Tree. This small pear tree was recovered from the rubble, almost completely destroyed after the attacks. The fact that it blooms here again today seems almost like a miracle. It is scarred, but it stands, making it the most important symbol of hope at Ground Zero.
When Names Become Destinies
I stand at the pools and look down into the void. The water flows down the walls into a center that I cannot see. Engraved around the pools are the names of the 2,983 victims (including the victims of the 1993 bombing).
When running my fingers over the letters, the tragedy becomes somewhat more tangible. The designers did not arrange the names alphabetically, but rather according to the relationships the people had with each other: colleagues who worked side-by-side, or passengers who sat together on the plane.
A particularly moving sight is the white rose placed every day into the cut-out letters of those victims who would have had their birthday on that day. It is a small, bright splash of color against the dark metal—a sign that love outlasts hate.
Visitor Information
Address
180 Greenwich Street,
New York, NY 10007
How to get there
By metro
Metro stations: “World Trade Center” (E train), “WTC Cortlandt” (Line 1) or “Fulton Street”
Admission prices
Memorial:
Access to the outdoor pools is free and open to the public.
9/11 Museum:
There is an admission charge (approx. 33 USD). It is strongly recommended that you book in advance, as the queues are often very long.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How much time should I allow?
30–45 minutes is sufficient for the outdoor memorial. If you are visiting the museum, you should allow at least 3 hours, as the exhibitions are very extensive.
Is photography permitted at Ground Zero?
Photography is permitted without restriction at the memorial (outdoors).
In the museum, photography is permitted in most areas, but there are sensitive zones (e.g. the area with the photos of the victims) where cameras are strictly prohibited.
Are there security checks?
Yes, to enter the museum you must go through a security check similar to that at an airport.
Is the museum suitable for children?
The outdoor memorial is fine for children.
However, due to the intensity of the images and audio recordings, the museum is only recommended for children aged 10–12 and above.
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