The city of New York has a special way of remembering the horrible terrorist attack on September 11th, 2001. Two light beams formed by 88 searchlights shine up to the sky near the former site of the Twin Towers. Originally designed by Ezra Orion in 1997 as an art installation on top of the Twin Towers for the 4th of July celebration, the idea was dismissed as too expensive. However, after the attacks the installation came to life with a very different and strong meaning. The "Towers of Light" can be seen beaming up into the sky in a 60-mile (97 km) radius on clear nights and serve as a strong message of commemoration.
Structure of the Beams
The art installation, comprised of two identical beams, is meant to resemble the Twin Towers, imposing minimalist structures. Stretching four miles (6 km) up into the sky, the illumination creates an illusion of a never-ending light when seen from below, especially at the base of the installation. The creators used over eighty 7,000-watt lightbulbs structured in two massive squares. The engineering behind this project is extremely impressive and is worth witnessing with your own eyes.
Location & Schedule
The Tribute in Light beams are installed on the roof of Battery Park Garage, which is located on Greenwich Street near Battery Park. Down the street, near Liberty Park, you'll find the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, the objective of which is to preserve the memory of the tragedy's victims and raise awareness of the consequences of the attack. The installation lights up the sky of New York from dusk until dawn.
Best Places to View
The Tribute in Light display can be seen all throughout Lower Manhattan in the 60-mile (97 km) radius. One of the most frequented locations to honor the event is the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, the Memorial Plaza in particular. It serves as a significant spot to witness the installation. Other viewing locations include Washington Square Park, George Washington Bridge, and Richard W. DeKorte Park. To witness the solemn display in the New York waters, hop on the Staten Island Ferry, which runs on a regular basis.
Environmental Concerns
The city hosts this public art installation while still being cautious of the environmental issues. In collaboration with the American non-profit environmental organization New York City Audubon, the authors of the installation discovered problems caused by the New York lights to migrating birds and also managed to collect used cooking oil from local restaurants to produce biodiesel, fueling the Lights.
