Open for business: One World Trade Center welcomes first ever tenants 13 years after 9/11
AMERICA reached a landmark today by reopening the doors of the World Trade Centre - more than 13 years after the devastating 9/11 terrorist attack.
A doorman holds the door for an employee entering the One World Trade Center
With all trace of construction gone, the 1,776ft (541m), $3.9billion (£2.4billion) One World Trade Center proudly pierces into the Manhattan skyline in New York after welcoming its first visitors.
Its first tenants were members of staff at publishing giant Conde Nast, who have just begun working at the incredible skyscraper which is now "the most secure building in America".
These incredible photos show a host of city folk moving in and out of the revolving glass doors, some dressed in suits while others wearing more casual attire.
This bustling scene brings an emotional milestone to the 16-acre site where the destroyed twin towers once stood, and where 2,700 people tragically died on September 11, 2001.
Patrick Foye, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey which owns both the building and the World Trade Center site, said: "The New York City skyline is whole again, as 1 World Trade Center takes its place in Lower Manhattan."
The One World Trade Center was open for business today
An employee entering the impressive skyscraper
It took eight years to build the One World Trade Center
The New York City skyline is whole again, as 1 World Trade Center takes its place in Lower Manhattan
He also commented on how the One World Trade Center "sets new standards of design, construction, prestige and sustainability; the opening of this iconic building is a major milestone in the transformation of Lower Manhattan into a thriving 24/7 neighbourhood".
Prior to the move, architectural firm T.J. Gottesdiener of the Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, assured staff at Conde Nast that they had taken extra measures to strengthen the steel structure of the One World Trade Center, adding that it is much stronger than the twin towers.
They later revealed that the high-rise of the tower was built with steel-reinforced concrete - making it as terror attack-proof as possible.
Only about 170 of Conde Nast's 3,400 employees are moving in now, said Patricia Rockenwagner, a Conde Nast vice president and spokeswoman.
But roughly 3,000 more members of staff will arrive by early 2015 to fill five floors of the tower.
The lobby is bright, spacious and colourful
A model office, used to exhibit what a business space could look like on the 63rd floor
View from the 63rd floor
The One World Trade Center took an incredible eight years to build and proudly sits next to a memorial for the twin towers and a museum which opened earlier this year.
However, plans to build the skyscraper were almost halted following years of political and financial fighting.
The disputes eventually settled down when two other towers started to be built southeast of the site - the Four World Trade Center and Three World Trade Center.
The Four World Trade Center opened to the public in November 2013, while the Three World Trade Center is still under construction.
Foundation work for the Two World Trade Center has also been completed, although it is not clear on when the building for this will be complete.
An observation deck at the top of the impressive One World Trade Center will eventually be open to members of the public, although a date for this has not been set yet.