Tenth Anniversary of 9/11 Memorials

published on September 9, 2011 by

Sunday, September 11, 2011, marks the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy when America was attacked on her own soil. Many memorial events are planned around the three sites that have come to epitomize those terrorist attacks.

  1. Washington, D.C. The Pentagon Memorial commemorates the 184 lives lost in the Pentagon and on American Airlines Flight 77 during the terrorist attacks. The memorial itself, designed by Julie Beckman and Keith Kaseman, was officially dedicated on September 11, 2008. It is open to the public daily. As most of the nearby parking is for authorized Pentagon use only, the best way to get to the memorial is by the METRO.
  2. Pennsylvania. The Flight 93 National Memorial, near Shanksville, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, is the only one of the three 9/11 memorials that is designated as a National Park. The first phase of the memorial to the 40 heroes of Flight 93 will have its official dedication ceremony on Saturday, September 10, 2011. Commemoration of the tenth anniversary of 9/11 will be held at the Memorial on Sunday, September 11, with music tributes and activities. President Obama is also expected to speak. Just a two-hour drive from Washington, D.C., you can make visiting the Flight 93 National Memorial an easy day trip.
  3. New York City. As the epicenter and “ground zero” of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, New York City is offering a myriad of ways to commemorate the tenth anniversary. You can mark the occasion with music, meditation, art, prayers, community service, dance, poetry, storytelling, and other rituals of remembrance.

    The official New York City ceremony to observe the tenth anniversary of September 11 will take place at the World Trade Center site on Sunday, September 11th, 2011 from 8:40 AM until 12:30 PM. President Obama is scheduled to speak.

    The 9/11 Memorial, located at the World Trade Center site, will be dedicated on Sunday, September 11, in a ceremony for victims’ families. It will open to the public on September 12, 2011, and will welcome visitors who have reserved advance passes.

  4. Marriott. Did you know that the third tower to collapse at New York’s “Ground Zero” on September 11, 2001 was the World Trade Center Marriott Hotel? In the days that followed, the Marriott flag (see photo) that once flew atop that 22-story hotel was recovered from the debris.

    For the past decade the flag has hung in the lobby of Marriott International Corporate Headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland – a constant reminder of the safe evacuation of all the guests that day, and of the two Marriott associates who lost their lives while assisting the guests to safety.

    On August 25, 2011 the flag came off the wall in headquarters to make the journey back to New York. It will be on display in the New York Marriott Downtown for the tenth anniversary remembrance of 9/11 and will eventually be part of a permanent exhibit at the 9/11 Memorial Museum.

Both Washington, D.C., and New York City have timeshare rentals available, offering you comforting home-away-from-home accommodations as you visit the 9/11 memorials.

(Photo credit – travelweekly.com)