The small state of New Jersey comes packed with several different historical monuments and memorials, offering tourists a myriad of outlets to expand their knowledge after they visit their favorite restaurants. The Teardrop Monument, for example, is a 10-story sculpture by Zurab Tsereteli. This monument was given to the United States of America as a gift from the Russian government. It was considered an honorable memorial to the victims of the September 11th attacks in 2001, some of whom were Russian, as well as in memory of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The monument was officially dedicated on September 11, 2006 in a ceremony in which former U.S. President Bill Clinton attended.
The Empty Sky Memorial located in Liberty State Park of New Jersey, similarly honors the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Seen at the mouth of the Hudson River, across from the World Trade Center site, the memorial exhibits two twin walls and a sloped mound that is anchored by a granite path, aimed toward Ground Zero. The Empty Sky Memorial raises 30-feet in height and stretches 208 feet and 10 inches, reflecting the exact width of the World Trade Center towers as if they were to be laid out along their sides. The memorial displays the 746 New Jersey residents that lost their lives on September 11, 2001.
Aside from the attacks on September 11, 2001, New Jersey also honors the victims of the Holocaust. The Liberation Monument is a bronze statue, created by Nathan Rapoport and can also be seen at Liberty State Park, in Hudson County. Weighing approximately two tons, this monument is strategically placed to face the Statue of Liberty, forming a triad between the monument itself, Liberty Island and Ellis Island, to recgonize the the Holocaust as a counterpoint to American egalitarian ideals.