1 World Trade Center (1970–2001)

The original One World Trade Center (also known as the North Tower, Tower 1, Building One, or 1 WTC) was one of the Twin Towers of the original World Trade Center complex in New York City. It started construction in 1968 and completed in 1972. It stood at a height of 1,368 feet (417.0 m), and was the tallest building in the world until 1973, when surpassed by the Sears Tower in Chicago. On the 106th and 107th floors of this building were a complex of dining, meeting, and entertainment venues known as Windows on the World.

It was distinguishable from its twin, the original 2 World Trade Center, also known as the South Tower, by the 360-foot (110 m) telecommunications antenna on its roof. Including the antenna, the building stood at a total height of 1,728 feet (526.7 m). The North Tower was 6 feet taller than the South Tower because floor 43 was 2 feet taller and floor 67 was 4 feet taller than the standard ceiling of 12 feet. These two floors were used by the Port Authority. Other things that made the North Tower distinguishable from its twin was a canopy connected to the North Tower's west facade on street level as well as two pedestrian walkways that extended from the west and south promenades of Three and Six World Trade Center to the North Tower's north and south facades on plaza level, all of which the South Tower lacked. The building's address was 1 World Trade Center, and the WTC complex had its own ZIP code (10048) due to its large size.

The original World Trade Center was destroyed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Struck by American Airlines Flight 11 at 8:46 a.m., the North Tower was the first of the Twin Towers to be hit by a hijacked aircraft, and the second to collapse, at 10:28 a.m. The North Tower stood for 102 minutes after the aircraft impact. Of the 2,996 people killed in the attacks, around 1,700 were in the North Tower or on the ground.

The North Tower was succeeded by the present-day One World Trade Center tower, which was opened in November 2014 as the lead building of the redeveloped World Trade Center site. At the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, the northern pool marks the spot where the North Tower once stood.