{"id":77674,"date":"2025-09-11T19:58:12","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T23:58:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/queonnda.com\/new-york-relives-9-11-with-solar-tribute-at-the-oculus\/"},"modified":"2025-09-11T19:59:58","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T23:59:58","slug":"new-york-relives-9-11-with-solar-tribute-at-the-oculus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/queonnda.com\/en\/new-york-relives-9-11-with-solar-tribute-at-the-oculus\/","title":{"rendered":"New York relives 9\/11 with solar tribute at the Oculus"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every September 11, New York stops. Not only to read aloud the names of the victims of the greatest terrorist attack in U.S. history, but also to observe how architecture becomes a living memory.<\/p>\n

This year, as it has since 2016, the Oculus, the train station and shopping mall designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, once again projected its famous beam of light: a “sun gap” known as the Wedge of Light, which cuts through the building’s main lobby at 10:28 a.m., the exact time the second World Trade Center tower collapsed in 2001.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A tribute that speaks in silence<\/h2>\n
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Firefighters from the Midtown Fire Station form during a minute of silence in memory of their fallen colleagues on 9\/11 in New York (United States). EFE\/ Javier Otazu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Although only one end of the Oculus was open to the public, dozens of visitors – among them Hispanic tourists – gathered on the balconies to watch the natural light cross the white marble of the lobby.<\/p>\n

Early in the morning, many were already waiting in complete silence with their cameras at the ready.<\/p>\n

“We wanted to be part of this special moment. We saw it on TV in 2001, but being here is different,” said Claudia, a visitor from Argentina.<\/p>\n

The more than 100-meter-long skylight is designed for this phenomenon to occur only once a year, but its accuracy depends on weather and technical details.<\/p>\n

This year, the experience was partial: the organizers were unable to fully open the skylight hatches due to past structural problems with the insulation seals.<\/p>\n

Even so, the atmosphere was solemn.<\/p>\n

Guiding lights in the dark<\/h2>\n
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Today marks 24 years since the #11S<\/a> terrorist attack.<\/p>\n

Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and on Flight 93.<\/p>\n

On September 11, 2001, planes hijacked by Al-Qaeda terrorists struck the Twin Towers in New York pic.twitter.com\/ktiX0hkoPq<\/a><\/p>\n

– @SegoviaBastidas (@SegoviaBastidas) September 11, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n