This is one thing everyone has to see in their lifetime. It is so heartbreaking when you see all the letters from loved ones on a wall just outside the area of Ground Zero. They have a tall fence up so you can't get inside at all, but you are still able to see the progress they are making.

It is unfortunate that this is a sight, and we had no intention of going to visit it, but on our first morning, up early, not having adjusted to the time difference, we decided to walk from our Midtown hotel to the Staten Island Ferry. Our route took us past Ground Zero, a truly disturbing sight. The sheer size of the devastated area brought home the scale of the attack and was genuinely eerie. We read some of the words of tribute to those who died and the bravery of the fire service and paid our respects in silence, but were keen not to dwell there for too long.

At the same time, there were other tourists taking photographs of each other there as if it was a theme park. Yes, it is a major sight, but it isn't an "attraction," and I was sickened by their lack of respect. It is important to remember this event, but I doubt the need to visit the site.

The site of where the Twin Towers once were is a truly humbling experience. Of all the noisy streets in New York City, this is almost completely quiet. One of the few sounds I did hear was the sound of a lone flute player on the street, playing soothing tunes as if to comfort. To see the mass amount of space where tons of concrete and metal were torn down by two small airplanes just makes you appreciate what you have and what these people lost. The area is quite large, you will know where you are once you walk up the street. Alongside the gated-in area there are plaques commemorating the lives lost on that fated day. This is definitely a must-see for anyone visiting NYC.

Ground Zero is a very special place for very obvious reasons. Our hotel overlooked the site, so we walked past it often during our stay. Whilst we were there, it was the third anniversary of 9/11, so Ground Zero had even more poignancy.

As you stand on the metal gantry built to the side of the site that leads to the underground stations, etc., you get a very strange feeling. The actual site is not as big as I had suspected; it doesn’t look as if two of the world’s tallest buildings once stood there. Although, of course, the buildings were tall.

Most of the base of the site was made of concrete, as they are starting work on the replacement buildings. However, you can still see the original sides of the towers’ basements. It is really hard to get your head around the fact that thousands of people died in this exact spot.

I would love to have been able to see these two majestic towers before, as I cannot begin to imagine how they looked. We have all seen the photos and films of the twin towers, and indeed there are several pictures at the site, but when you see these, you can see a tall black building behind them, which is a large hotel that is still standing. When you are at the site and look at this very tall hotel and then look at the "before" pictures, you realise how tall they really must have been, completely towering this building. It is beyond your mind’s comprehension to be able to visualise them at the site.

Ground Zero is a very sobering experience. Many of the surrounding buildings are still being rebuilt, and many still show the damage received that fateful day. One of the buildings is covered in plastic, as the materials of the building are rotting, caused by the tons of water sprayed over it trying to put out fire that day. The World Financial Centre also stands to the side of the site, and I thought these buildings were quite beautiful. Inside them you can view a tribute to the towers and see models of the new buildings being built in its place. Whilst we were there, one of these buildings had a huge American flag across the front to pay tribute to the anniversary.

Whilst in New York, you are compelled to visit Ground Zero. I was worried that looking at the site and taking photos would seem a little callous, but I had to visit to pay my respects to those who lost their lives. We took pictures not just to add to our photo album but to remind ourselves that this could happen anywhere to anyone.

This place will stay in my memory for a very long time. I just wish I could have seen the towers in all their glory whilst they were standing.

We pulled into the station from New Jersey that is right below Ground Zero. It was an amazing sight and such a somber part of the trip. We walked the perimeter of the site, and the sheer size of it takes your breath away.

Memorials were still visible, especially on the west end of it, where there were badges from all those who helped and fell in the line of duty.

It is a sight you never wanted to but had to see. My wife had seen the Twin Towers and ventured up in them before 9/11, so it was an even more amazing trip to see what was left.