KOENIG SPHERE

---

Koenig Sphere, the iconic bronze sculpture created by German artist Fritz Koenig, weighs 25 tons, stands 27 ft. high and has an 17 ft.diameter. Commissioned by the Port Authority in 1966, it was displayed in the plaza between the two Twin Towers of the original World Trade Center. After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the sphere was damaged but miraculously survived the collapse of both towers. It was later moved to Battery Park where it has resided ever since. On the evening of August 14, 2017, Railroad Construction Company, Inc. began a two day relocation project to move the Sphere to Liberty Park on the grounds of the new World Trade Center.

In an effort to minimize the impact to each park, approximately two weeks were spent preparing the Sphere for the move. The sculpture was disassembled into five pieces and each piece along with the fabricated support base was carefully lifted onto lowboy flatbed trucks and secured for the half mile trip to Liberty Park. The existing three foot thick reinforced concrete foundation was demolished and removed and the area at Battery Park was restored to grade, back filled, top soiled and reseeded to match existing turf. 

At Liberty Park temporary fence panels were installed to protect existing walkways during the installation and eighty yards of soil was removed for the new concrete base and pedestal. An infringing light post was removed and various fixtures were redistributed around the park. Displaced plants were relocated and planted. The area between the edging and the skirt was filled with river stone.

Designed as a symbol of world peace through world trade, the Sphere has become a beacon of hope and representation of our nation's indestructible spirit. On August 16, the unrestored sculpture was re-dedicated by the Port Authority at its new permanent location. Sixteen years after the attacks, Koenig Sphere has returned to its original home at the World Trade Center, overlooking the place it stood for three decades.