The World Trade Center (WTC) was originally a complex of seven buildings in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan, New York City, built between 1966 and 1975 and officially opened in April 1973. Its centerpiece consisted of the iconic Twin Towers—1 World Trade Center (North Tower) at 1,368 feet and 2 World Trade Center (South Tower) at 1,362 feet—each with 110 stories, which were the tallest buildings in the world at the time of completion and the tallest twin skyscrapers until 1996
. The complex was developed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to serve as a central hub for businesses and government agencies involved in international trade. It housed more than 430 companies from 28 countries, containing roughly 13.4 million square feet of office space and accommodating an estimated 130,000 people
. The World Trade Center was tragically destroyed in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, when hijackers flew two commercial airplanes into the Twin Towers, causing both to collapse and resulting in nearly 2,750 deaths. The attacks also severely damaged or destroyed other buildings in the complex, including WTC 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7
. Following the attacks, the site—known as Ground Zero—underwent extensive cleanup and rebuilding. A new World Trade Center complex was constructed starting in 2006, including new office towers such as One World Trade Center (also called the Freedom Tower), the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, and other facilities, preserving the legacy and memory of the original complex
. In summary, the World Trade Center was a landmark commercial complex and symbol of global trade in New York City, known primarily for its Twin Towers, which were destroyed in the 2001 terrorist attacks. It has since been rebuilt as a memorial and modern office campus.
