The only church that was destroyed during the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001 is rising again from the rubble and ashes that once littered the region known as Ground Zero in New York City.
Latest construction photos show the 40 ribs of the main dome in place and St. Nicholas National Shrine at the World Trade Center beginning to take its full shape as a contemporary Greek Orthodox house of worship and a shrine that will welcome all in need of spiritual support, no matter what their religious or faith backgrounds.
The project’s architect, Santiago Calatrava, modeled the New York City church after the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, which was the most complex building in antiquity and the largest Christian church ever built.
The shallow dome was made from 40 equally spaced ribs. Forty windows were then set at the dome’s base, creating the sensation that the dome actually floated over the church.
From the webcam view high atop the W Hotel, the location of the church is visible— directly next to the memorials built in the exact spot where towers one and two of the World Trade Center once stood, and now occupied by eternity pools that mark the thousands of names of the victims of the attacks.
Photos from St. Nicholas National Shrine Facebook Page
