New York in photos before and after September 11, 2001
On the 24th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, discover a striking comparison between New York in 1999 and today through powerful before-and-after photographs…
- Everyone remembers where they were on September 11, 2001, when the first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center. As the anniversary approached, I wanted to compare my photographs of New York from before and after that day.
- Here are the two images I find most moving. I took the first photo in 1999 while standing directly between the two World Trade Center towers, looking straight up. Next to it is another photo taken from exactly the same spot—now between the two reflecting pools that mark where the towers once stood. The building you see on the right side of the image is the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.
- One detail struck me when I took the photo 20 years later: you’ll notice that in the image, two towers still appear—One World Trade Center and its ghostly twin reflected in the building’s facade. But I’ll let you discover the full side-by-side comparison for yourself. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below on this September 11 anniversary.
- Share your thoughts in the comments below. Did you know New York before 2001?
- To learn more about why these photos matter and about this site, visit About CNEWYORK to discover the story behind this New York resource, created in 1999.