The Oculus Unfolded: Architecture, Symbolism, and Secrets

(7 reviews)

New York City audio tour: The Oculus Unfolded: Architecture, Symbolism, and Secrets

This is an indoor tour

New York City

The United States

$9.99

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About the Tour

The Oculus is one of New York’s most breathtaking modern landmarks. Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, this soaring white structure rises like a bird in flight, symbolizing the city’s rebirth after 9/11. On this indoor tour, you’ll hear about the meaning behind its dramatic form and learn how Calatrava used light as a living element of the design. You’ll also find out how the Oculus is connected to the 9/11 Memorial and the new World Trade Center – a story where tragedy, rebirth, art, and architecture intertwine.

Your journey begins at the Oculus entrance on Church Street, where you’ll step beneath its dramatic “wings” and descend through multiple levels of this extraordinary transit hub. As you explore, you’ll hear about Calatrava’s visionary philosophy, and how his design echoes New York’s grand architectural tradition, from Grand Central Terminal to today’s skyline. You’ll continue to the Winter Garden Atrium, a luminous space with tropical palms and sweeping views of the Hudson River.

The tour ends with a stunning view of the 9/11 Memorial. It’s a perfect place to reflect on the tragedy that took place here in 2001, and get a sense of how New York has bounced back with the energy and joys of vibrant daily life.

During this 45-minute tour, you’ll have the chance to:

Discover the meaning behind the name - Oculus
Recognize the symbolism behind Calatrava’s bird-in-flight design
See how the Oculus design echoes historical traditions
Explore the Oculus as both a transit hub and a “memorial to life”
Hear the controversies behind this bold architectural statement
Learn about the Twin Towers’ groundbreaking engineering legacy
Step into the majestic Winter Garden Atrium
Get a taste of Italy and France at Eataly and Le District

This immersive tour takes you beyond the surface beauty of these iconic spaces and reveals the stories, controversies, and symbolic meanings behind Lower Manhattan’s most stunning indoor landmarks.

Tour Producer

CityBeautifulTours

4 tours

My name is Iren, and I want to welcome you to New York City!

As a licensed tour guide with over 15 years of experience, I've led countless private tours, turning New York's multilayered, complicated history into stories that make the city come alive. New York's energy, ever-changing streetscapes, stunning landmarks, secret spots, and inexhaustible history create its unique tapestry.

My expertise and experience come from studying the History of Art at Harvard Extension School and New York Architectural History at Cooper Union, as well as giving hundreds of custom tours focusing on New York history and architecture.

I write a blog, CityBeatifulBlog.com, filled with stories about New York architecture, history, and incredible people who made the city what it is today. When I'm not writing or giving tours, I dance Lindy Hop - a swing dance born in Harlem, New York in the 1920s and set to infectious sounds of jazz - the best soundtrack for New York City.

When I travel (and I travel a lot!), I like exploring at my own pace, often using audio tours. I hope you'll enjoy mine!

Preview Location

Location 11

World Trade Center One - a Look through the Oculus

Look up through the glass roof of the Oculus.

This skylight is one of the most profound elements of Oculus design. Its position is not random. It's positioned to align with the sun on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Each year, on September 11th the skylight opens and a... Look up through the glass roof of the Oculus.

This skylight is one of the most profound elements of Oculus design. Its position is not random. It's positioned to align with the sun on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Each year, on September 11th the skylight opens and at 10:28 a.m. — the exact time when the North Tower collapsed — and a beam of sunlight passes through it, traveling along the main axis of the hall. This beam of light bears a symbolic value, representing the light that emerged from the darkness of the tragedy.

Do you see a building through the glass roof? This is One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and the main structure of the new World Trade Center. It reaches a symbolic height of 1,776 feet — the year the United States declared its independence.

The original World Trade Center was a complex of seven buildings. At its heart stood the iconic Twin Towers, each soaring 110 stories high — proud symbols of New York’s ambition and economic power.

On September 11, 2001, the World Trade Center became the target of coordinated terrorist attacks. Al-Qaeda-affiliated hijackers two commercial jets and flew them into the Twin Towers, seventeen minutes apart. Within two hours, both towers collapsed. Falling debris and spreading fires caused the partial or complete destruction of the entire complex.

After this tragedy, it became essential for New York City that a new World Trade Center rise from the ashes — not only to revitalize Lower Manhattan, but to honor the memory of the thousands who perished.

Completed in 2014 at a cost of $4 billion, One World Trade Center is among the most expensive buildings ever built. Its elevators ascend to the observatory in just 47 seconds, traveling nearly 23 miles per hour. Today, it stands not only as the tallest building in New York and North America, but as a symbol of renewal and hope.

Let's move on.

Standing with your back to where you first entered, walk forward. Locate the sign to "Path trains to New Jersey". It's quite prominent, you cannot miss it.

Then stop at the top of the stairs leading down. Read More

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Major Landmarks

Oculus World Trade Center
Winter Garden
Eataly
Le District

Getting There

Route Overview

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Start location
185 Greenwich St LL3110, New York, NY 10006, USA
Total distance

0m
Final location
50-40 Church St, New York, NY 10013, USA
Distance back to start location

0m

Directions to Starting Point

The tour begins at the Oculus entrance on Church Street between Fulton and Dey Streets.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

There are many options for shopping and food. I recommend stopping by Eataly for a great Italian meal and an interesting food market experience. Le District is another delightful marketplace featuring French food.

Best time of day

Anytime is good. You might want to avoid rush hour to escape the crowds. The light will change how the building looks, and sunny days with blue skies are the best. At nighttime, the effect is different and quite beutiful.

Precautions

The Oculus is also a shopping center and there is a danger of spending too much! This is, of course, a joke. The place is very safe; use general awareness of being in a crowded space with plenty of distractions. At Christmas, expect to see a Holiday marketplace.

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App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”