World Trade Center 1 (Tower of Freedom): description, history

1946 year. China expects a new civil war. Japan still can not recover from the terrible atomic attack. Europe is devoured by ruins. And the US? In America everything is fine: the dollar is recognized as an international currency, the creation of the UN and the International Bank is underway, and the construction of new buildings begins. The United States expects that soon they will become a powerful power and will "pinch" the whole world under themselves.

In the same year, the powerful of this world, namely the leadership of New York, are proposing to build a World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan 1. They suggest that post-war countries will begin to conduct international trade. But this could be prevented by the cold war: the Russians with the strongest army in the world acquire an atomic bomb, cast ice views on Europe and strengthen friendly relations with Asia: they help the Koreans to end the war and permanently consolidate their relations with China. Then the Americans have to postpone the construction of the WTC for an indefinite time.

The history of the twin towers

The chief architect of the World Trade Center seemed to have a premonition that one day the construction projected by him would play a fatal role for the United States. Minoru Yamasaki wrote that if it were possible, "I would solve the architectural issues that arise before me, designing single-storey houses."

It all began on the initiative of the director of the New York Port Authority, August Tobin, who in the year 46 of the last century put forward a proposal to build a World Trade Center. Roughly speaking, he wanted to create something that would bring a big income.

Legislative bodies authorize the erection of 21 buildings on the banks of the East River - this is the land that belongs to the Office. The project is being developed, and when it was already ready (in 1949), the affirmative document was withdrawn.

In the mid-1950s, a project developed by David Rockefeller. Only his goal is different - restoring the attractiveness of the lower part of the city of New York (Manhattan). In 1958 they began to develop a plan to increase business activity, and in 1960 they began to evaluate the project of the World Trade Center. According to it, the complex was to be located on 53 hectares of land belonging to the Port Authority, and also there was a 300-meter exhibition hall surrounded by 50- and 70-storey hotels and offices. Entertainment was provided, such as theaters, restaurants and shops. But only in September 1962 the chief architect (Minoru Yamasaki) was appointed, who was working on the final project, and in 1965 started construction.

Yamasaki made his own adjustments: he unconditionally rejected the possibility of erecting a group of buildings and proposed to stop his choice on two twin towers 80 feet high. From this it followed that you need to completely change the project. However, everything happened very quickly: at the end of 1970 the uppermost element of the bearing structure was assembled in a solemn atmosphere, and in 1973 the buildings were put into operation.

The events of September 11, 2001

For almost 30 years, the twins of the World Trade Center were the highest targets in the world. The first tragedy occurred on February 26, 1993. On this day, on the second floor of the Northern Tower, where the underground parking was located, a truck exploded in which a bomb was laid. Omar Abdel-Rahman (the leader of Islamists and the organizer of the terrorist act) expected that the tower would begin to crumble and hit the second, that is, the complete destruction of skyscrapers. But he miscalculated - the talented architect's works stood firm. Victims of collapse were six people, injured about 1000, the building completely ceased to function.

102 minutes - the most terrible in 2001. Only one and a half hours, and World Trade Center 1 ceased to exist. At 8:46 am the plane with the terrorists on board rammed the first tower, and at 10:28 the other "Boeing" - the second, and these terrible seconds were captured in the video. This terrorist attack is the largest in the history of mankind. His victims were almost 3,000 people, another 24 were missing.

Revitalization of a building

November 21, 2006 was the day when we started the first stage of building a modern WTC 1. This project took a lot of time and finances - almost 4 billion dollars and 7 years (like its predecessor, destroyed on September 11, 2001). The height of the tower is 541 m (together with the spire, whose weight is more than 700 tons). Today, this architectural creation is the highest in New York, the US and throughout the Western Hemisphere.

In those places where the twin towers used to be, two memorials were installed in the form of basins made of granite and perimeter covered with plates of bronze engraved with the names of the dead. They are located exactly where the foundation of the buildings was laid. And the WTC 1 itself is located in the western corner of the site. It turns out that the new buildings seem to surround Ground Zero (memorial of memory).

Characteristics of a modern building

World Trade Center 1, or the Tower of Freedom, is a commercial and office building. The structure strongly resembles its predecessors. It is a light spiral shaped building with a huge spire at the top. It is glazed outside, and inside the central part there is a large hall. The height of the room is 24 m, and access to offices, restaurants, information centers and exhibition halls is provided.

The underground part is equipped with vestibules connected to the railway lines and the city subway. At the very top, of course, are restaurants that open up a striking landscape. Also on the upper levels there are observation platforms. The lower part of the Freedom Tower is faced with a glass of prismatic shape, and the upper one - with a blue one.

Some interesting facts

• Most of the budget was intended to provide security in the event of a terrorist attack.
• In 1776, a declaration of US independence was adopted. The height of the building is 1,776 feet, and it's no accident.
• The glass panels that have been chosen as the lining material reduce operating costs by 20%, because thanks to them the interior spaces are filled with daylight.
• A memorial to people who died and went missing when Manhattan's earlier skyscrapers collapsed, according to various estimates, the most visited, but the project was criticized for its huge cost and lack of aesthetics.

What do tourists need to know?

Any tour of New York includes a visit to World Trade Center 1. You can also get to it yourself. The entrance fee for the observation deck is about $ 30. As in many other countries and cities, you can purchase the New York Pass and visit all desired places (including WTC 1) free of charge.

Observation sites in the Tower of Freedom (New York, Manhattan) are at 100, 101 and 102 levels. Up lift high-speed elevators, in the walls of which are mounted displays, showing the stages of development of the city as it "grows up."

Given the terrible tragedy that occurred at this place 15 years ago, many people are afraid to visit the WTC 1. When the building was put into operation, the owners long waited for tenants of premises - very few people wanted so much to risk. But, as is known, the projectile does not fall into the same funnel twice, and I would like to hope that this will actually be so.

World Trade Center 1 - response to terrorism

WTC 1 is not just a beautiful architectural object with a panoramic observation platform. It is a worthy answer to world terrorism, and also a place in which it is possible to honor the memory of the dead people. The modern New York building is one of the main attractions that locals and tourists visit most often.