{"id":2440,"date":"2024-09-13T16:31:50","date_gmt":"2024-09-13T16:31:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newyorktour1.com\/blog\/?p=2440"},"modified":"2024-09-13T15:31:55","modified_gmt":"2024-09-13T15:31:55","slug":"soon-new-york-history-world-trade-center-oculus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/blog\/soon-new-york-history-world-trade-center-oculus\/","title":{"rendered":"Visiting the World Trade Center Oculus at Ground Zero"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After the devastating attacks on September 11th destroyed all seven World Trade Center buildings, a plan to rebuild was quickly put in place. This plan, necessarily, included a new transportation hub that would replace the destroyed PATH train station that thousands of daily commuters relied on and encourage people to return to the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Construction began in 2004, and 12 years later the Oculus officially opened to the public on March 3, 2016. Taking its name from the Latin word for \u201ceye\u201d because of the eye-view of the sky you see through its round windows, this architectural marvel is a must if you\u2019re visiting Ground Zero in NYC.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The white columns that form the upturned wings of the Oculus are clearly visible from the 9\/11 Memorial Plaza, so we often have people on our Ground Zero tours<\/a> ask what the unusual building is \u2014 it manages to stand out in the city of skyscrapers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before you visit the Oculus on your trip to New York, let\u2019s learn more about this transportation hub\u2019s unique design, connection to Ground Zero, and how to experience it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How the Oculus came to be<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rebuilding the PATH station destroyed in the 9\/11 attacks was always part of the master World Trade Center plan, as it was a necessary link between NYC and New Jersey that residents and commuters relied on. The vision for the new station was to combine a transportation and shopping center into one. And with the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava in charge of the design, it would be beautiful to look at, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An NYC train station you need a map to navigate<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The completed Oculus is the third largest transportation center in New York City and an architectural gem that people stare at in awe when they visit the 9\/11 museum, but its construction was controversial. Not only did it take Calatrava 10 years longer to build than originally promised, but the budget was double what was proposed. Calatrava\u2019s design was complex and required custom-made materials.\u00a0
If we\u2019ve learned anything from Antoni Gaud\u00ed\u2019s Sagrada Fam\u00edlia<\/a> that\u2019s still unfinished 140 years later, Spanish architects like to take their time. Calatrava might have completed his design over schedule and over budget, but the result is a beautiful, moving tribute to the memory of 9\/11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Designing the Oculus<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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On the outside, architect Santiago Calatrava designed the building to resemble a child\u2019s hands releasing a dove. You can see this in the tall, crossed columns that form a pair of 350-foot wings \u2014 something peaceful rising from the ashes. Calatrava also notes that he wanted his design to be in a dialogue with the skyscrapers<\/a> surrounding it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The striking design makes it a popular destination for tourists who take photos in and around the giant structure. Want to know the best spots for getting a photo of the Oculus? Here are a few our Lower Manhattan tour guides recommend:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n