The resurrected World Trade Center is now open

The silvery skyscraper that rose from the ashes of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks to become a symbol of American resilience has opened for business, as 175 employees of the magazine publishing giant Conde Nast settled into their first day of work there.

One World Trade Center stands between the transportation hub, left, still under construction, and 7 World Trade Center, right, in New York. The opening of the country's tallest building on Monday marked a symbolic return to a sense of normalcy for the site where the twin towers fell more than 13 years ago.

An employee enters the lobby of One World Trade Center. Its eight-year construction came after years of political, financial and legal infighting that threatened to derail the project. The area has prospered in recent years.

People walk past One World Trade Center. About 60,000 more residents now live in the area three times more than before 9/11 keeping streets, restaurants and shops alive even after Wall Street and other offices close for the day. Still, it's a bittersweet victory.