7. Ground Zero Cross

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 Roman Catholic Church at the intersection of Barclays and Church streets just a block away from Ground Zero. When the 9/11 Memorial & Museum opened, it was relocated as part of the museum’s exhibits and a new cross was installed at St. Peter’s.