The morning of September 11, 2001 began as usual. New Yorkers went about their business as usual. Someone ran into a cafe for a cup of coffee, someone was preparing for important business negotiations, and someone took the elevator of one of the twin towers' skyscrapers. Nothing foreshadowed an impending catastrophe. A few moments later, millions of TV viewers around the world watched live, as at 08:46 a plane suddenly crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center.
Terrorist act
It was impossible to believe in the terrible event that took place, but the giant skyscrapers crumbling before our eyes did not leave thousands of people any chance of salvation. Four terrorist attacks were launched not only on the central part of the city, but also on the Pentagon. The fourth attack, at the cost of their own lives, was stopped by the passengers of the airliner, trying to intercept its control during the flight. As a result, this plane was diverted from major strategic US targets and crashed in Pennsylvania.
Effects
The consequences of the terrorist act, known as 9/11, are terrifying in the number of deaths: 2,606 people were not able to escape in the towers and died, 246 passengers and crew members died in four hijacked planes, and 125 people were among the dead at the Pentagon. Citizens of 90 countries were killed at the hands of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, who claimed responsibility for the atrocity. Among those who accepted death were those who were the first to rush into the epicenter of the disaster, and took the entire blow on themselves: police officers - 72 people, 55 military personnel and 343 firefighters.
Memorial complex and museum
Soon after the disaster, a memorial complex and a museum were erected on the site of the twin towers to perpetuate the memory of the innocent victims of terrorist attacks. The official opening of the memorial on September 11, 2011 was timed to coincide with the sad anniversary. Every year, this day of September, Americans and residents of many countries around the world celebrate as a day of mourning for those killed as a result of a terrorist attack.
Where is the memorial
The memorial is located in the lower part of Manhattan in the center of New York and is a park with large monuments - "pools" located on the site of destroyed skyscrapers. Monuments are created in the form of giant waterfalls that flow down the edges of huge pools. The bottomless hole in the center of the reservoir, where the water goes, symbolizes the abyss that has swallowed up thousands of human lives.
Flowing water symbolizes the transience of human existence and at the same time the continuous flow of life, which does not stop, no matter what. The names of all those who died in the explosion of the shopping center are written along the huge perimeter of the pool. The names of the dead 100 Russian citizens can also be seen on the bronze edging of the Memorial Pools. Detailed information about each of the victims of the terrorist attack can be found in any of the special information kiosks located nearby.
Unique oak tree and church
On the territory of the memorial complex there is an amazing oak tree that survived the terrorist attack after the tree was buried under a ton of debris. After a terrible disaster, only one stump remained from the oak tree, which was transplanted in the park. Now the tree has formed a dense crown and, looking at it, I want to believe in the triumph of life over death. St. Paul's Church, built in 1766, is located very close to the memorial. It is all the more surprising that the church building withstood the terrorist attack, and along with the revived oak tree, this ancient church is another symbol of resilience and invulnerability.
Exhibits
It is no coincidence that a museum is located inside the church, which displays exhibits testifying to those tragic events. Here you can see the equipment and overalls of the firefighters who took part in extinguishing the burning buildings of the Twin Towers. In one of the halls, you can see the symbols of New York, carved from steel, which was part of the walls of destroyed skyscrapers. Not far from the church building there is a huge bell dedicated to those tragic September events.
How to get to the memorial
To get to the territory of the Memorial, you need to go through a thorough search procedure using metal detectors. This is due to the conditions for observing the special safety of this place. Therefore, some time will have to be spent in line. Despite strict security checks, the Memorial is free to visit, but each visitor can pay any amount for an entrance ticket as a donation. It is worth noting that $ 500 million was spent on the creation of the memorial complex.
The memorial is a powerful reminder to all Americans and all inhabitants of planet Earth that the existing world is fragile and fragile enough. This memorial is a reminder that even in the most prosperous country no one is immune from the existing problem of terrorism. This memorial makes everyone think that it is necessary to solve this global problem immediately so that similar disasters do not recur in the future, not only in the United States, but also in other equally prosperous countries.
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