An opportunity for travelers to pay their tributes to the victims of 9/11

September 11, 2011 will always be remembered as a dreadful day. Arguably, the day will go down in history books as one of the most disastrous days that humanity has ever seen. The world witnessed in utter shock as the twin towers of the World Trade Centre came tumbling down like houses of cards as a result of what can be regarded as the most gruesome act of terrorism ever committed. Several years have passed since that day of destruction, and both domestic and international travelers in the U.S. make it a point to visit the site that witnessed those tragic events of 9th September, 2001.

Recently, the tenth anniversary of the event was marked with the opening of The National September 11 Memorial, a tribute to the thousands of men, women and children who lost their lives as a result of the 9/11 terror attacks.

A global design competition was conducted wherein more than 5200 entries flew in from 63 nations of the world. The Memorial's design has been given by architect Michael Arad along with a landscape artist named Peter Walker. The Memorial has two reflecting pools, with each one almost one acre in size. These pools sit right where the twin towers of the World Trade Center once stood. Along the edges of these pools, the names of all those who lost their lives in the terror attacks of 9/11 have been inscribed on bronze panels. The National September 11 Memorial Museum too presents an overwhelming representation of the tragic day and the implications of it on the lives of thousands of people. The site of the attacks has deservedly become a place of utmost importance for everybody visiting the United States.