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Tourist Guide To Visiting Ground Zero, 9/11 Memorials in and Around The World Trade CenterOct 08 '11 (Updated Oct 14 '11) Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line This is a Tourist Guide To Ground Zero, World Trade Center 9/11 Memorial area. Visitors receive easy to follow basics here. For detail reviews expressing experience click the links below. Find out the best way to see the New World Trade Center and Memorials in and around Ground Zero. Learn how to get there and the latest on where to get passes and tickets. Know where your best sight lines to all are too! Lower Manhattan remains a huge tourist attraction for visitors from all over the world. Many want to see with their own eyes where Ground Zero is and what is happening there as the new World Trade Center grows with the Freedom Tower now standing over 82 stories high. It has another 23 stories to go and then a massive top elevating it to 1776 ft. That height mirrors the year of American Independence. What follows is a break down of places to go and things to see and do, a tourists guide to Ground Zero and all in and around the New World Trade Center. Even more detailed guides can be found by clicking to the link you are interested in below. Getting Your Bearings A Visitors Guide To Ground Zero The immediate area around the World Trade Center is rather easy to navigate. Think of it as a square that encloses the area. To the north running east-west is Vesey Street. The eastern line would be Church Street running north-south. Following Church Street south one comes to Liberty Street that is the southern boundary. It's from its west side that one follows the pathto the overpass (over West Side Highway) to the World Financial Center, a group of modern buildings, with views overlooking the construction sites and also allowing a glimpse here and there of the Reflection Pools. If walking inside the glassed in building in a south-north direction simply keep Ground Zero in sight on the right. Walking north on the west boundary in the World FinancialCenterone follows the glass windows to a beautiful domed atrium area know as the Winter Garden. Get your views on both sides being sure to walk down and check out the Hudson River Dock area toward the west. Once finished get to street level walking east in the Winter Garden and go through the doors to the outside finding the northern overpass taking all back over the West side Highway to Vesey Street. Read about "Eleven Tears" Later in this guide. A quick look on any area map confirms the ease at which circumnavigating the World Trade Center and Memorials is. Knowing the names of the streets will help you better understand the route to sites mentioned here. National September 11 Memorial with Reflecting Pools With the tenth anniversary of 9/11 the National September 11 Memorial Reflecting Pools were opened in a ceremony for the families of all those who were lost that day including all the flights, those killed in the Pentagon and also the 1993 Trade Center bombing. Twin pools are anchored in a park-like setting surrounded by trees. Each waterfall structure, that flows down into the pools, is set on the foot prints of the original Twin Towers. One is at the foot of the Freedom Tower while the other is set south-east of it. The name of every victim is stencil cut into bronze parapets that surround each pool. Rubbings can be made from the names. At night the waterfalls are lighted from below along with light beams that shine through the names cut out of the bronze. These pools in the September 11 Memorial are now open to the public. All this is set in tree filled open spaces. It's a quiet solemn area where people quietly pay respects. The entrance is found taking Church Street south a couple of blocks beyond Liberty making a right on Thames. Specific directions are on the back of the free pass. Passes are available at the Preview Memorial Site on Vesey Street. Getting Free Passes at the Preview Memorial Site The best way to be assured free passes to the National September 11 Memorial is by ordering tickets online well ahead of time. Go to the National September 11 Memorial web site. Then click on Passes. As of now one must reserve a month or so ahead of time. Tickets are however available on the "day-of." These are limited. As of now they are distributed at the Preview Memorial Site on Vesey Street just steps east of Church Street. They start at 9AM but people queue at 8AM. They are gone within the hour most days. Also check the Memorial site web page because I believe this source of tickets may be ever changing.From the web site A limited number of passes for same-day visits are also available daily at the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site at 20 Vesey St. (at Church Street) beginning at 9:00 a.m., the NYC & Co. kiosk at City Hall and the NY Water Taxi booth at the South Street Seaport. Limited to 4 passes per person on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets do not have monetary value and are not to be exchanged to other parties. The Preview 9/11 Memorial Site at 20 Vesey Street is just that. It gives a sense of what will be seen at the Memorial and also shows plans of the Museum yet to open next year. Artifacts and text tell the stories. From their web site Visit the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site near the World Trade Center site and learn about the National September 11 Memorial & Museum through models, renderings, films and genuine artifacts. Admission is free. Be sure to note that there are now two Preview Sites in lower Manhattan. It's at 20 Vesey St where passes can be had. The other is near the south west corner of the perimeter. (again no passes there)All said, I do suggest planning and trying to get passes well ahead of time, on line, so there are no disappointments. Tribute WTC Visitors Center: Person To Person Walking the memorials and looking about gives a sense of what happened on 9/11 but as the construction continues the physical wounds of that day are being erased by the construction of the World Trade Center and the Train Station that will be a marvel unto itself. To get the real feelings and experience of what happened that day I STRONGLY suggest making a Visit to the Tribute WTC Visitors Center at 120 Liberty Street. The five gallery site make a presentation that is informative and deeply moving. From their web site ...Person to Person History Tribute WTC Visitor Center offers visitors to the World Trade Center site deeply moving gallery experiences and meaningful walking tours. ... Mission Tribute WTCVisitorCenter offers visitors to the World Trade Center site a place where they can connect with people from the September 11thcommunity. Through walking tours, exhibits and programs, the Tribute WTCVisitorCenter offers "Person to Person History," linking visitors who want to understand and appreciate these historic events with those who experienced them. The walk states the tour takes about an hour, plan an hour and a half. Most of the tour happens to be indoors in a climate controlled atmosphere. It's the best connection one can make to the events of 9/11. Don't forget the gallery. There is a charge for the site and the tour. A combination ticket is also available. It's worth the time and dollars!! My experience is shared in the link below. I learned much and soaked in the emotion and feelings those who were there and those who lost someone dealt with that day and continue to deal with in the present. I now know one of those people whose name is cut into the bronze around the Reflecting Pool Memorials. The walk passes and explains two free, on the street, memorial sites that take just minutes to see but should not be missed whether on the tour or on your own. They happen to be very close by. FDNY Ten House Right next door to the Tribute WTC Visitors Center is a firehouse that was all but totally destroyed. Much more important, six firefighters responding from that house closest to the Twin Towers were lost that day. A peak inside the glass garage door shows the memorial those in firehouse erected. More can be found in reference to the firehouse if clicking below. Also, on the outside wall of the FDNY Ten House is a memorial that stands as special on its own. It was a gift from a law firm who on 9/11 lost one of its partners who was also a volunteer firefighter. That memorial is known as the... FDNY 9/11 Memorial Wall The FDNY Memorial is a 56' Bas Relief Bronze sculpture that is attached to the outside wall of the Ten House. It depicts firemen in action using equipment and apparatus that they use to fight fires and save lives. The memorial is dedicated to the 343 of the City's Bravest lost 9/11, those who continue to protect us and to the fallen friend and partner of the firm. Words that blend within the sculpture note...Dedicated To Those Who Fell and Those Who Carry On. On the far side are the words, May We Never Forget. World FinancialCenter and the Winter Garden and "Eleven Tears" We followed the Tribute tour that stopped at Ten House and the FDNY Memorial Wall to the overpass nearby Liberty streets western end. This leads to the World Financial Center a multi-building complex with all glass views of Ground Zero. This can be done on your own, though I do suggest the Tribute tour to really get the experience of what is being viewed and what happened 9/11. This path takes one to a different view of the construction sites that some visitors and tourists do not see. Because it is a temperature controlled area its a good place to leisurely spy on the Freedom Tower and catch a glimpse here and there of the Memorial Reflecting Pools. Just after doing the stairs up to the overpass (there is an elevator if needed) look to the north. The Freedom Tower dominated but, looking more at eye level, one can catch a glimpse of the trees and falls of the reflecting pools. It's non much but, is a touch. These same peek can be found as one walks the glass walls heading north in the World Financial Center. It's at some of these overlook points that the Tribute tour guides stop to tell their stories. Continuing one comes to the Winter Garden a huge atrium that houses tall palm trees and offers stunning views. Its a sort of lobby to the inside shops and restaurants within that serve those who work and live nearby. Standing in that atrium and knowing what happened to it that 9/11 day brings chills. It was all but destroyed with glass and bent steel everywhere. Look up Winter Garden 9/11 photos and you will better appreciate the destruction and rebuilding since that fateful day. You are standing in an area physically destroyed that day. One more stop I suggest in the tourist guide to Ground Zero and the Freedom Tower is seeing the 9/11 memorial dedicated to eleven American Express workers that were lost that day. It's named "Eleven Tears" - American Express' 9/11 Memorial. One gets a birds-eye-view of it by continuing north in the complex. Not many people are in that area but just ask if lost. (hard to be) Continue north toward a overlook corner keeping the Ground Zero area to your right. From there you should see the wires that hold a huge quart stone shaped to resemble a tear. Under and around it is an eleven sided pool enclosed in black granite. The names of those lost mark each of the eleven sides with personal words given by their families and friends. This isn't to be missed. One feels emotion as a single drop (a tear) falls from the interior skies above into the still pool. At every second a circle emits from the drops in front of one of the victims names. 1 World Trade Center, The Freedom Tower The 1 World Trade Center better known by New Yorkers effected by 9/11 and those hard hat guys building it as The Freedom Tower. Views of it will be found throughout the Ground Zero site. After coming out of the World Financial Center heading west one again crosses the West Side Highway toward Vesey Street the southern border of the ever growing construction site. It's here that a visitor is closest to the Freedom Tower. It's the hub of all the noise, action and areas of access of materials and the hardhats that are doing the work. If you see a hard hat on break talk to him. They are proud to talk about their work and how things are going. Vesey passes in front of 7 World Trade that was the first building completed in the complex. It's an impressive looking building. here are a few words about its special staus in NYC... Sustainable design is among the most important initiatives at 7 WTC. The U.S. Green Building Council, which has developed the nation's only common standard of measurement for a "green" building, certified the tower at gold status for core and shell development under its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-rating system, making it the first green commercial office building in New York City. We made images of this building and of course the Freedom Tower. Continuing on Veseyeast one looks back west to amazing views with the temporary elevators on the outside bring up men, supplies and equipment. Once again you are on Church Street having walked the full perimeter if starting at the Preview 9/11 Site on 20 Vesey but that's not all. Just a half block south on Church Street is St Paul's Chapel that had a special place on those days following 9/11 and continuing on today. St Paul's Chapel St Paul's Chapel has history of its own having been built in 1766 as the oldest church in Manhattan and the longest used public building in NYC putting it on the Historic Landmark status. George Washington spent time there before his inauguration later that day. It withstood a fire, when the British missed destroying George Washington's fledgling army in 1776, being save via a bucket brigade from the Hudson River. Then as again in 2001 it became a refuge for those who needed it. St Paul's Chapel, that was across from the Twin towers and didn't suffer even a broken window opened its doors to first responders and those willing to help them. It was at first a time of rescue hoping that someone, anyone would be found in the rubble as those me were digging with bare hands day and night. St Paul's was the place they went to pray, get sleep, a cup of coffee and much more as massage therapists, chiropractors and so many more offered themselves gratis in the only way they knew. St Paul's continues to be a place that invites all to learn of its history and how we must continue to remember that day and its mission. There is a delightful and education children's book that is perfect for opening dialogue with them explaining 9/11. The books name, The Little Chapel That Stood. Zuccotti Park, Once Liberty Plaza Park Along side the eastern perimeter of the World trade center Complex known as ground Zero is a small park with seating, chess table and shade on a hot summers day that business people, hard hats and tourists use to have a cup of coffee, a bagged lunch, or use as a place to rest their feet. It's proximity to the Freedom Tower and memorials makes in a very convenient place to stop even if it doesn't have any rest room facilities. This park was named Liberty Park but then 9/11 Twin Tower collapse destroyed the park. It was used as a staging area for workers for a while. Soon though, it was one of the first areas cleaned up after 9/11 and was the site for early 9/11 ceremonies. The park was renamed after someone who was instrumental in the clean-up? Never sure about that reading different accounts. A huge modern sculpture is on the eastern end. "Double take" a bronze statue of a man sitting down looking though his brief case may just catch you doing a...yes, you know. I would ordinarily suggest it as a place to relax a bit or to go to after grabbing a sandwich from the deli on Dey Street around the corner but no, you can't do it now. The Occupy Wall Street crowd that is getting worldwide news coverage is now using it as a base camp for meetings, drum circles and sleeping overnight. Until they leave, which our mayor is trying to convince them to vacate for a short time now to clean it up, it continues to become an eyesore and a filthy place to be. I say this with first hand knowledge having stayed next door in the Millenium Hilton for four days early this month. For now, unless you want to join the masses in protest or take pictures to show what is really there, I say avoid the place. Of course one could be attracted to the "news" so enjoy. A Visitors Guide to Views of the Freedom Tower, World Trade Center, Ground Zero Memorials Until the complex of the World Trade Center is more complete, most views are from the immediate surrounding area. More and more we are seeing the Freedom Tower take it place in the city's skyline. A few special views of the Freedom Tower from inside the National September 11 Memorial with the tree and Reflecting pools in the foreground can be found. Most however are from the boundaries offered early in the tourist guide to Ground Zero. One place we were very fortunate to get incredible birds-eye-views of the Memorials and the Freedom Tower was from the Millenium Hilton Hotel right next to St Paul's chapel on Church Street. Alas, we had to pay for a room where we stayed for four days on the 39th floor. To see those Reflecting Pools during the day and again under lights at night is a special honor. The hotel does not have an windows outside of guest rooms that overlook the site but there is the restaurant. Church and Dey a restaurant on the third floor of the Millenium Hilton Hotel offering views a bit different than ground level. Though not able to see the memorials it does indeed give an amazing perspective of the construction as these sky scrapers continue to grow. It is also directly across the street from where construction of a train station that is said will rival Grand Central Station has begun. It is designed by architect Santiago Calatrava. We had lunch there one afternoon. It was the perfect place to take a break and still be immersed in Ground Zero and its rebirth. From the left corner of the restaurant I was able to get a view of a reflection of the neo-Gothic style Woolworth Building that was once the tallest building in the world. . The views from the World Finacial Center give a view from the west. Early morning photos can show a rising sun behind the construction complex and in a climate controlled area any time of year and weather. pops Last Thoughts As a person who deeply misses the Twin Towers and felt the sharp sting of losing so many peace loving people I have visited Ground Zero many times from those first days until a recent four day visit. I have seen the carnage and I am blessed to see the rebirth. I am also touched by the person to person stories I heard from those giving tours from the Tribute 9/11 Visitors Center. I am honored to have walked the National September 11 Reflecting Pools and make a rubbing of the person were learned of that day, Sean Thomas Lugano. I hope this tourist guide to Ground Zero and the 9/11 Memorial is helpful. Though not an expert on everything 9/11 and World Trade Center and the Memorials, I have visited many of them. I want to share my first hand experience to visitors of this area. The links below give more detailed information of the sites I talk of in this guide. I also share my personal experience visiting NYC one week after 9/11. It was an emotional day I will never forget. If anyone has anything to share, sees any changes, has information on sites I missed, or have more advice please feel free to add comments or email me at mailto:popsrocks99@hotmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you and learning from you. National September 11 Memorial with Reflecting Pools 9/11 Preview Site...Where you may get day-of passes for the National September Memorial with the Reflecting Pools St Paul's Chapel and it's Place and Mission After 9/11 Tribute 9/11 Memorial Visitors Center: A Place a Tour that brings those who experienced 9/11 with those who want to know and better understand FDNY Ten House FDNY 9/11 Memorial Wall 11 Tears; American Express 9/11 Memorial The Sphere: The First 9/11 Memorial The Winter Garden, a must stop near Ground Zero Zuccotti Park. From tranquil to "Occupy Wall Street!" Avoid it for now. Millenium Hilton Across From the 9/11 Memorial Reflecting-Pools and #1 World Trade Center with an unbelievable birds eye view of all!! Church and Dey: A Restaurant with a View of Ground Zero Much More site Seeing in NYC by popsrocks The Little Chapel That Stood: Helping Children Understand and "Never Forget" 9/11 Something is Missing : An Emotional Visit To Ground Zero One week Later  |
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