INFORMATION PANEL 4

Title: Tribute in Light

Text: The Tribute in Light was created as a result of the collaborative efforts of the Municipal Art Society, other civic organizations, and talented artists from a broad range of disciplines, to remember and honor those heroes who lost their lives at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

The Tribute in Light, which rose from a site adjacent to ground zero, consisted of two banks of forty-four spotlights, whose light projected about a mile high into the night sky. Powered by 7,000-watt xenon bulbs, the focused rays were said to equal the power of two million light bulbs.

Under certain conditions the Tribute in Light could be seen from up to 25 miles away in any direction. Many people felt the Tribute in Light reflected the same spirit as was present during the candle-light vigils that took place around the nation and around the world following September 11, 2001.

On March 11, 2002, six months after the attack, Governor George Pataki and Mayor Michael Bloomberg dedicated the Tribute in Light to those lost that tragic day and to celebrate the city's spirit of resolve, resilience and renewal. The lighting of the Tribute in Light was one of the many ceremonies held across the United States. Illuminating the night sky for thirty-two days from dusk to 11 p.m., the Tribute in Light served as an enduring symbol of hope, uniting the families of those who lost loved ones, New Yorkers, the nation, and the world.

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