08/18/2026
Some landmarks tell their story through what they survived.
Fritz Koenig’s The Sphere once stood at the heart of the original World Trade Center plaza, where it was installed in 1972 as a symbol of peace through world trade.
On September 11, 2001, the surrounding towers collapsed. Remarkably, The Sphere survived — damaged, scarred, but still standing.
Today, it rests at Liberty Park overlooking the World Trade Center site, its wounds intentionally left visible.
Swipe to see The Sphere in 1976, in its original home at the World Trade Center.
THE SPHERE — 1976
Original World Trade Center Plaza
Photo: Balthazar Korab / Library of Congress