The World Trade Center (1973-2001): icon, landmark, site of tragedy | History Stories

The World Trade Center (WTC) and its iconic Twin Towers are mostly associated with the 9/11 attacks in 2001 and the more than 2000 lives lost. But when it was first inaugurated on April 4, 1973, the complex boasted the status of the highest building in the world. Along with this feat, the iconic skysrapers were intended to convey the message that a peaceful world is possible – through housing trade for more than 430 companies from all over the world. The complex, that was so large that it had its own zip code: 10048, soon became the symbol for the economic power of America capitalism and the globally known icon of New York City.

This episode of History Stories takes us back to the complex's construction site in Lower Manhattan and to the first decades including Philippe Petit’s spectacular tightrope-walking performance. It explores the first terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on February 26, 1993 and then the attacks on September 11, 2001, the day the Twin Towers collapsed. Did you know that a monumental bronze sculpture by German artist Fritz Koenig actually survived the tragedy and can be found in front of the new One Trade Center today?

00:00 Intro
00:41 1962 Planning and Construction
03:13 1973 How The Towers Work
05:13 1974 "The Sphere" Sculpture
06:00 1974 Criticism on the building
07:22 1974-1992 The Twin Towers and (Pop) Culture
09:02 1993 Car Bomb Terrorist Attack
11:36 2001 The Terrorist Attack on 9/11


Report: Antje Binder
Commissioning Editor: Ricarda Otte

#dwhistoryandculture #wtc #twintowers

For more visit: https://www.dw.com/en/culture/s-1441
⮞ Follow DW Culture on Facebook:   / dw.culture  
⮞ Follow DW Culture on Twitter: twitter.com/DW_Culture

Please follow DW's netiquette: https://p.dw.com/p/MF1G