On November 3, 2014, the tallest building in the United States opened in New York City. The 104-story skyscraper is called One World Trade Center. For many Americans, it represents hope after one of the saddest days in our nation’s history.
The building is close to where the Twin Towers once stood. The Twin Towers were part of the original World Trade Center. They were destroyed on September 11, 2001. Terrorists crashed two planes into them. (Terrorists are people who use violence to spread fear or gain power.)
Terrorists also flew a plane into the Pentagon. That’s the U.S. military headquarters near Washington, D.C. They caused a plane to crash in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, too. Almost 3,000 people were killed on 9/11. It was the deadliest attack on American soil in history.
Plans for One World Trade Center began soon after. A company called Skidmore, Owings & Merrill came up with the design.
The massive skyscraper soars 1,776 feet high. That represents the year the U.S. declared independence from Great Britain. Today the building is a symbol of how the nation recovered after 9/11.
“It symbolizes hope and optimism,” says Frank Mahan. He’s one of the people who designed the building. “Even when we get knocked down, we get back up again and keep moving forward.”