Spanning three floors at the top of the Western Hemisphere’s tallest building, One World Observatory offers breathtaking panoramic views of Manhattan’s crystal clear Skyscraper Gardens. On a clear day, all five boroughs and parts of the surrounding states, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty can be seen as tiny as a child’s toy from the top of One World Trade Center.
The breathtaking views of New York are only revealed after the screens suddenly go off in the introductory video, revealing the view through the giant windows. Seeing the city from above is a great way to get a feel for how everything fits together and plan the rest of your New York sightseeing.
The place has a strong resonance. The footprints of the original World Trade Center Tower, now preserved as the 9/11 Memorial Museum, can be seen in the shadow of the current One World Trade Center, which stands 408 feet (124 meters) higher than the original tower.
Highlights Of The View
As the intro video ends and the screen rolls back, everyone rushes to the windows for a breathtaking bird’s eye view of New York. The first thing to notice is the Brooklyn Bridge. It was the first permanent bridge over the East River to still stand proudly after 150 years, alongside the new Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges. Look southwest to see the Statue of Liberty floating on an emerald island off the Jersey coast. There is a reason why the statue looks small when viewed from this height. At a modest 300 feet (93 m) high, it’s nearly half a kilometer shorter than One World Trade Center.
The north-facing Empire State Building is instantly recognizable among the first-generation skyscrapers in central Manhattan. If you look closely, you might see the Chrysler and Flatiron buildings in the tall towers. Note the piers along the Hudson River where transatlantic steamships moored during New York’s Golden Age. To help locate the skyscrapers, you can use the tower’s iPad-based guide – One World Explorer – to zoom in and highlight individual buildings.
History and Architecture
New York’s tallest observation deck is located at the 94-story One World Trade Center, built to replace two World Trade Center towers destroyed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The original plan was he created in 2002 by Daniel Libeskind, the architect of Berlin’s Jewish Museum, but the structure was redesigned by David M. Childs, the brains behind Singapore’s Changi Airport Terminal.
Construction began in 2006 and the tower was completed on May 10, 2013. This tapering tower is not only the tallest building in America, it is currently the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and also his sixth tallest building in the world by peak height. Height is no accident. The antenna is 1,776 feet (541 m) high, a tribute to the year the American Declaration of Independence was signed. Architecturally, the tower resembles a rectangular prism twisted 90°. This is the illusion created by the chamfered edges that divide the façade into a series of opposing isosceles triangles. It was the first large-scale building built using the Building Information Model, a digital platform created to manage all phases of planning, design and construction in a single virtual space.
The experience
Reaching the observation deck, 1,250 feet (386.5 m) above ground, is as much fun as taking in the scenery. Beginning on the ground floor, pass through a giant electronic world map highlighting the Tower’s visitor’s home country (using data from ticket scans) and the multi-screen installation Voices, which tells the stories of the people behind One World Trade Center. increase.
But the real show begins when Skypod rides his elevator. His LED wall panels in the elevator take you on a virtual journey through the evolution of Manhattan’s skyline over the past five centuries. These high-tech elevators take visitors to the top in just 47 seconds at a speed of 36.5 km/h. This is his one of the fastest elevators in the world.
Interestingly, the first tourist to climb the tower was New Jersey free climber Justin Casquejo. He passed through a security hole in his fence during the construction of the tower and only reached the top of the antenna when he was 16 years old. He was immediately arrested and sentenced to 23 days of community service. He also had to write his 1200-word essay explaining what he had learned from his experience.
Once you reach the viewing level, the first step is an introductory video show before the view is revealed, but you can also go straight down to the portal’s view. As expected, there are many different restaurants and stalls selling souvenirs.
Tickets and other practical things
One World Observatory can get very busy, especially on weekends and peak tourist seasons, so it’s a good idea to book in advance to skip the lines. During the summer and some holidays, the opening hours are extended to 10 PM (last ticket sale is 8 AM).
16:00), but if you need tickets for a specific time slot, it’s a good idea to check the website in advance.
If you’re short on time, you can purchase a $53 skip-the-line ticket to skip all the lines and use the iPad One World Explorer digital guide that automatically identifies skyline sights. Various train and subway lines serve the World Trade Center station, but at Park Place he got off the subway one stop earlier and walked up to the tower at street level to get a good sense of its size. recommended. There are food options on site, all of which are at a premium. Better to go across the street to Le District and Hudson Eats Food Court in the Brookfield Place Complex.
Hotels near One World Observatory
You’re paying a premium if you want to stay in Lower Manhattan, but there are some good options nearby.
Address 285 Fulton St cnr West & Vesey Sts, Lower Manhattan
Phone 212-602-4000
Website www.oneworldobservatory.com
Hours 9am-9pm Sep-Apr, from 8am May-Aug
Price adult/child/under-5s $35/29/free
