The Calatrava-designed church at the World Trade Center has opened

Santiago Calatrava's design for the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade Center is a gleaming, Byzantine structure that proudly overlooks the World Trade Center Memorial from the elevated Liberty Plaza. The church, which was described by the church as "humble," was previously housed in a row house that had been used as a tavern from its founding in 1916 until its destruction in the 9/11 attacks. Although the new church is small, it is a striking contrast to its previous home.

The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine is the latest addition to the World Trade Center, designed by Santiago Calatrava. The church opened six and a half years after the grand and controversial opening of the WTC Transportation Hub. The church cost $57 million to build, but its construction was delayed by various setbacks, including the pandemic. Despite its comparatively small size, the church has not been free of controversy. 

The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade Center is a stunning, marble-clad building designed by Santiago Calatrava. The church is clad in Pentelic marble, the same marble as the Parthenon and its laminate stone-and-glass dome glow "by the light of 10,000 candles" after sunset. Calatrava was inspired by the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, and the church's dome features 40 windows and 40 ribs, with images of twenty prophets between the ribs. Services are held beneath the dome, and although the church is consecrated as a Greek Orthodox church, it is also an ecumenical national shrine that is open to people of all faiths. Despite any controversies or delays, the final result is a beautiful addition to the World Trade Center. 

The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine recently opened at the World Trade Center site. The Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center, designed by REX, is the only remaining public facility that has yet to open at the site. The PAC is located directly east of One World Trade Center and features a laminated stone exterior that will glow in the evening hours. When it opens next year, the PAC and St. Nicholas will bookend the memorial at the center of the WTC site, creating a balance between the office space and the religious and cultural significance of the area.