Memorial Park has been home to both the pleasant and unpleasant. It was the site of anti-Vietnam war protests by young activists.
The Gold Star Monument is the newest addition to the Park. Designed in accordance with style guidelines from the Woody Williams Foundation, it commemorates Delaware Gold Star families.
Memorial Walls
The central feature of the memorial park is a massive wall that lists the names of all village residents who lost their lives in service to the nation. Two bronze statues of veterans standing at the entrance to the main plaza also serve to connect the living with those who have died.
One of the walls points toward the Washington Monument and the other toward the Lincoln Memorial, meeting at their apex where the names begin and end. Beginning with 1959 inscribed on Panel 1 East (1E) and continuing through the 70 panels listing names, the list is arranged by date of casualty.
After negative reactions to Maya Lin’s original design, the Memorial was expanded with a flagstaff and figurative sculpture designed by Frederick Hart.
Wall of Remembrance
The Wall of Remembrance is a powerful tribute to the men and women who gave their lives in the service of the nation. The names of those lost are engraved on 70 separate panels. The names begin at one end of the memorial and finish in the center, forming a circle that conveys the enormity of the number of casualties.
The memorial also honors the first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice on September 11th. Three 30 x 12 granite panels contain the laser-engraved portraits of 417 Brooklyn firefighters, 37 Port Authority Police Officers and NYPD K-9 Sirius.
A callery pear tree, known as the Survivor Tree, serves as a symbol of strength and resilience.
Peace Statue
When Sadako Sasaki died in 1945 from leukemia attributed to radiation from the atomic bomb, her classmates suggested building a monument for her. They later expanded the movement to console all the children who died. Their story inspired a worldwide response, resulting in the offering of thousands of colored origami cranes each year at the Children’s Peace Monument.
The memorial’s centerpiece is a classically dressed figure draped with an olive branch and surrounded by symbols of peace and industry, including an angle, gear, a book and dividers. It was designed by Seward Johnson and is a short walk from other military monuments. The sculpture will be on display for the next half year.
Tribute in Light
Six months after the attacks, and each year since, two twin light beams reflect the shape and orientation of the original Twin Towers in the night sky over Lower Manhattan. The public artwork is a reminder of both those lost and the unbreakable spirit of the city that rebuilt.
While the Tribute has become a symbol of hope, it also endangers birds migrating at night. Continuous, bright, direct light interferes with cues birds use to navigate the night sky and can disorient them to the point of exhaustion or collisions.
NYC Bird Alliance scientists and volunteers stationed on the Battery Parking Garage have watched birds be drawn in by the lights, then circle endlessly to their deaths. Their research could help change how lighting is used to avoid harming birds during migration.
Reflecting Absence
The centerpiece of the memorial park is two large recessed pools, representing the footprints of the Twin Towers. The pools are surrounded by the largest manmade waterfalls in North America. The water flows down into the pools and continues to a central, square drainage basin.
The memorial pool is a serene space of reflection and remembrance. It is a place of hope and renewal, separate from the hustle and bustle of the city.
The memorial was designed by architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker after winning a design competition. They were inspired by the idea of absence made visible. They wanted to create a place of quiet contemplation that resonates with feelings of loss and absence.
9/11 Memorial Glade
The Memorial Glade is a dedicated space that honors the ongoing sacrifice of first responders, recovery workers and members of the lower Manhattan community who have become sick or died from exposure to toxins at the site. It comprises a pathway located roughly where the primary ramp used during the recovery effort once stood, flanked by six large stone monoliths inlaid with World Trade Center steel remnants.
The names of the victims are arranged in a system of meaningful adjacencies—friends and coworkers appear together, and family members appear side by side. It’s a beautiful and moving reminder of the selflessness, courage and perseverance of these individuals.