• The destruction at Ground Zero left the country in shock.ground zero ?? new-york image by piccaya from Fotolia.com
  
  Ground Zero was the site of the worst-ever terrorist attack on U.S. soil. On September 11, 2001, Al Qaeda members flew commercial airlines into New York City's twin towers, leaving the country shocked and grieving. The site is in the process of being converted into a museum and memorial center to commemorate those who died. As national monuments to Ground Zero, these structures are federatlly funded.
  
  

Memorial

• A massive competition that drew applicants from all over the world ended up in the selection of a design by architects Michael Arad and Peter Walker. The design is two simple holes at the base of where the towers used to stand. The competition jury, in explaining their choice, wrote: "It is a memorial that expresses both the incalculable loss of life and its consoling renewal, a place where all of us come together to remember from generation to generation."
  
  

Museum

• Another of the national monuments at Ground Zero will be the museum. According to a statement by the director, the museum strives to be an "authoritative source for an evolving understanding of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and 1993." (The latter year saw a thwarted bomb attack.) The museum will feature parts of the mangled buildings themselves as well as compelling stories from survivors and the families of the dead.
  
  

Memorial Plaza

• The plaza around the memorial site will also be considered a national monument. It is designed to be a green oasis in busy New York City. The park will include over 400 oaks and other eco-friendly design elements. It will also include benches where people may sit and reflect upon the tragedy. It is meant to be a public space for people to grieve together.