Construction will start on the new St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church near Ground Zero and the World Trade Center this weekend. And a new animated video shows the first look at the church’s interior.
The church will be made of white Vermont marble. The design was inspired by a mosaic of the Madonna and Child Enthroned at the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Entrance to the new St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
The Santiago Calatrava-designed church will be built on the site of the former Deutsche Bank Building. The original church was destroyed during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Interior of the new St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
The starchitect told the Wall Street Journal that he hopes the church will be “a Very Ecumenical Place,” and that he would like to have the church be open 24 hours a day. The new building is scheduled to be ready in late 2016 or early 2017. [WSJ] — Claire Moses