E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Justin Lane / EPA
A view of the south reflecting pool at the National September 11 Memorial at ground zero in New York, August 2. The memorial is scheduled to open in time for the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
The 911 memorial website has some excellent animations and graphics. (see animation below). Want to see the animation in HD? Click here to download a 46 mb Quicktime file)
Click here to see how to find the names of the victims on the reflecting pools.
If you plan to visit, you need to reserve a visitor pass in advance.
A computer-generated fly-through animation shows the building and north and south reflecting pools as they will look when the National September 11 Memorial in New York is completed in September.
Justin Lane / EPA
A worker lays stone near the National September 11 Memorial at ground zero in New York August 2. The memorial is scheduled to open in time for the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Leave a Comment:
I watched the video and all I can say is "Wow" Nice job done by all who built it. Very moving.
It's always seems a little odd to me that these reflecting pools have a double waterfall disappearing into the Earth. I know that this water feature is meant to be integrated into the museum below in a pleasing way, but to me, this kind of "re-lives" the downward fall of the towers, and a "descent", rather than the "uplifting" and "transcendent" feeling that skyward water features tend to provide. I don't know. Just seems like a bit more of a downer than an upper. But I guess when you visit the place, you're supposed to feel depressed.
Tiz, Well noted, that's why I called it "Very moving" Everyone who sees this will have a different impression about it.
Actually they are representational of the absence of the buildings, the loss of these buildings is a scar that should not be hidden. The water will not be intergrated into the museum below in any way, it will not be visible from below. The memorial and museum are completely seperate entities. The waterfalls are called infinity waterfalls because you cannot see the bottom. Having seen the waterfalls and area in person I can assure you this is an uplifing place to be. The dead are honored by having their names cut out of bronze, as they were removed from their loved ones lives they have been removed from the bronze. The bronze will be uplit and piping has been installed below to assure the panels are touchable no matter how hot or cold the weather is. There will be a space to put your hand through and touch the water of the water fall and place a wet handprint on a name. They skyward feature you are looking for will be in the 400 trees they are planting, these swamp oak trees will grow to be 80 feet tall and will create a quiet canopy on the plaza. The height will also be "understood" when you walk out of the tree line and towards the pools, as you would have walked through the lobby area of the building and into its heart you will come to the pools. Being depressed is certainly not the intent here, remembrance, reflection, respect and reason to go on is.
Tiz, my first view--the above ground "reflecting pools", filled me with thoughts of success by the terrorists who brought down the towers. And to me, beautifying the depths of it with reflecting pools, though meant to memoralize the victims of such terrible atrocity, only continued my despair over their success. Beauty cannot overcome such ugliness.
The underground architecture of the pools is magnificent, what a shame it can only be seen by going underground.
It's not suppose to make you feel depressed...its suppose to have you remember. You might think that it is a day that is not going to be forgotten but amazingly people already have to an extent. Time has numbed the senses and softened the memory of that day for a lot of people...also they might be under the false safety of nothing having happenedon US soil in a long time and that the a$$ is dead so now nothing will. BIG MISTAKE...but time will tell. I think that it is a fitting tribute to the people that were murdered that day.
Nobody has 'forgotten' 9/11. Not all of us live and breathe it every day, but nobody has forgotten it.
It's a bit too sad for me. I almost wish it was a pool for children to splash in and show the world they have not taken joy from our lives. Don't know if that makes sense. I think NYC is one of the great melting pots of the world. To show children from so many countries playing together. I guess it is a place to remember but I wish it some way it offered or showed hope for mankind.
A well though out posting, thanks for that. I didn't think of that angle when I made my last two.
There is a water feature for children to play in, which is not on the site, it is at the survivors memorial plaza which is next to 7 world trade. There are fountains in the ground and children often play in the water.
Thanks for the information C Branco
When I see this, I'm reminded of the Vietnam memorial in DC. It's a gash in the earth, but there's a descending and ascending that "makes" the memorial. Here, it's just a big "suck" into the ground; there's no resolution or redemption.
I just watched the video because I had seen the still and could not get a sense of the whole picture. The video certainly provided a more complete presentation.
I cannot believe that it has already been 10 years since this atrocity occurred. I remember it as if it was this morning.
I think the reflecting pools, set in the footprints of the two office towers is a very powerful statement. From ground level one gets the sense of the its enormous physical aspect. From the air, it reflects the nothingness left behind. In both situations, I believe it brings that tragic day clearly into focus; to be remembered as we do anything that was painful in our minds; some will remember and some will not care one iota. Does it matter?
If you want to interpret the tiered reflecting pools that way, a descent; fine. I think it is quite appropriate to have such solemnity conveyed at the memorial of such a profound tragedy.
Eh, I don't like it. It's like the Viet Nam memorial. Can't we build things we look up to for our heros and loved ones?
Can we fill it with the blood of muslims?
Sp3ktr3,
..the blood of Muslims? Sure, I guess, but only after you agree that we build a similar memorial and fill it with the blood of Christians to remind us of the horrors perpetrated on Americans by the likes of Timmy McViegh and David Koresh.
Really, S. Your voice sounds no different than a verse in the very Quran that you want to burn. People that think like you poison humanity.
The pools look very good; and there may be name on the sides.
@Tiz I totally agree! Tiz said, 'It's always seems a little odd to me that these reflecting pools have a double waterfall disappearing into the Earth...to me, this kind of "re-lives" the downward fall of the towers...Just seems like a bit more of a downer than an upper.'
Having watched the twin towers be attacked on tv, shocked when the second plane flew straight into the 2nd tower, I am completely annoyed that we didn't just build the towers back immediately.
Heck, we should have built them back higher. I think that would have been a lot cheaper than trillions of dollars spent on wars with Shepards, farmers and nobody more educated than a doctor, psychologist, dentist, architect or engineer. No one who is Islamic can be a philosopher or scientist based on the Islamic text called "The Reliance of the Traveler" - paragraph A7.2 - Unlawful knowledge.
I have no real problem with anyone in Iraq or Afganistan. Can they really hurt our nation by breaking a building? How many people and buildings do we have? Millions. Are our soldiers less valuable people than the people in the towers? Hm.
I want to go visit the impressive rebuilt twin towers, not a reflecting pool. How much more depressing will this place be when the first nutso jumps the fence and drowns in that 20ft hole? I won't be going to this "monument". It's revolting.
I find your comment revolting.
You do realize that modern science and medicine were invented by Islamic people, right?
"They" at least used to be the smartest group of humans on the planet.
What a complete waste of space. In Manhattan of all places, there should be a building there or at least something useful!
Sp3ktr, can we fill it with your blood, there are no bad religions, just bad people making bad choices don't single out a religion