8. Ground Zero Cross at St. Peter’s Church
The iconic “Ground Zero Cross,” a group of steel beams in the shape of a cross from the rubble of the World Trade Center, was quite possibly the very first shrine after the attacks. From around the time it was found at Ground Zero, those with access used the cross as a place to leave flowers, notes, and pictures of loved ones. As the site was being cleared, the cross was moved to St. Peter’s Church, which faces Ground Zero. When the new 9/11 Memorial Museum opened, it was relocated as part of the museum’s exhibits but a new cross was installed: