Remembering 9/11: The Koenig Sphere

What started as a symbol of world peace became one of hope and resilience.

In the days that followed the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, we saw and heard countless stories of heroism, miracles and perseverance. Out of the rubble of that tragedy, we learned of stories of people being rescued, surviving against unthinkable odds in unimaginable circumstances.

First responders, police officers, firefighters and everyday people banded together to rescue anyone they could find trapped beneath the rubble. Several documentaries capture many of these stories, and each one is remarkable.

Earlier this year, Emily and I visited New York City, and for the first time I was able to tour the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Countless stories of these heroic efforts are memorialized throughout this museum in a truly awe-inspiring way. Each person who lost their life in these attacks is given space to be remembered through photo and video, with loved ones sharing memories. If you visit New York City, I highly recommend dedicating a full day to visiting the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.

Just south of the two reflecting pools that mark the locations of the Twin Towers, you’ll see the Koenig Sphere. I first traveled to New York City in 2004 as part of a trip for graduating eighth graders at my middle school. It was then that I first learned about the Sphere. I was struck by this 25-foot bronze sculpture, tattered and beaten but standing proudly in Battery Park.

After its installation in 1972 until September 11, 2001, the Sphere stood between both of the Twin Towers at the center of the Austin J. Tobin Plaza as a symbol of world peace through world trade. The collapse of both towers left the Sphere badly damaged, but not destroyed. Weighing 20 tons, it was the only work of art to be recovered from the rubble largely intact.

The Sphere resided in Battery Park from 2002 until 2017 before being relocated to Liberty Park near its original location. I’ve been to New York City on two other occasions, 2011 and earlier this year, and each time I’ve made a point to visit the Sphere and reflect on what it represents. It has been left unchanged since that fateful day, a stark reminder of both the pain that was inflicted on our country and the perseverance that we collectively showed in its aftermath. It’s a symbol of triumph over destruction.

Here we stand 23 years later and it feels like we are still recovering in many ways. But I couldn’t help but also notice how beautiful of a reminder the entire memorial is that we can hold both the pain of that day and the hope of a prosperous future. The reflecting pools that honor the lives of those lost reflect the new World Trade Center building, erected over a decade ago and serving as a reminder that we will not give up. In one vantage point, you can see the Koenig Sphere in the foreground and the World Trade Center towering behind it in the background.

What a beautiful reminder that though we may be beaten, we are not broken.