On This Day: Philippe Petit's Iconic High-Wire Feat

On This Day: Philippe Petit's Iconic High-Wire Feat

  • August 7, 2021
A black and white historical photo shows Philippe Petit holding a long pole as he does a hire-wire walk between the Twin Towers. The buildings of lower Manhattan can be seen below him.
PHILIPPE PETIT'S HIGH-WIRE WALK BETWEEN THE TWIN TOWERS. AP PHOTO/ALAN WELNER.

Forty-seven years ago today, the Twin Towers became the site of "the artistic crime of the century" when French high-wire artist Philippe Petit spent 45 minutes walking and performing between them on a tightrope, without a net. Thousands gathered to watch from the streets of lower Manhattan, a quarter of a mile below, as Petit laid down, saluted the sky, and waved hello to birds. 

Petit spent six years studying the Twin Towers, their construction, and wind conditions in preparation for what he called "le coup," a feat that would become the subject of award-winning documentaries, films, a children's book, and one of New York's most iconic images. He was initially arrested for the unauthorized act, but charges were dropped on the condition that he perform an aerial show for children in Central Park.

The idea of the death-defying walk first came to Petit, reportedly, when he saw a drawing of the proposed Twin Towers while waiting at the dentist's office in 1968.  

"If I see two towers, I have to walk," Petit said. "Anything that is giant and manmade strikes me in an awesome way and calls me." 

Petit's daring effort is included in the Museum's historical exhibition. 

By 9/11 Memorial Staff

Philippe Petit’s High-Wire Walk Between the Towers

Philippe Petit’s High-Wire Walk Between the Towers

High-wire walker Philippe Petit balances on a wire between the Twin Towers in this black-and-white photo from 1974.
High-wire walker Philippe Petit crosses between the Twin Towers, August 7, 1974. AP Photo Alan Welner

During the early morning hours of August 7, 1974, French high-wire artist Philippe Petit took his position at 1,350 feet above ground in the South Tower. High above the streets of New York, Petit began the 131 feet walk between the Twin Towers with no net.

At the age of 18, Petit started planning "le coup," what he called the unauthorized performance in the sky. He spent the next six years learning everything he could about the buildings and their construction. He said, "If I see two towers, I have to walk." Petit didn’t just walk, he performed for the crowd that gathered for one hour walking back and forth, laying down, saluting the sky and said hello to the birds. Called the "artistic crime of the century," Petit was arrested but chargers were dropped in exchange of a free kids show in Central Park. The 9/11 Memorial Museum tells the story of Philippe Petit’s walk in the historical exhibition. Located within the original footprint of the North Tower, the exhibition space tells the story of 9/11 using artifacts, images, first-person testimony and archival audio and video recordings.

By 9/11 Memorial Staff

Rebuilding: The first director of WTC looks toward the future as he recalls the past

Rebuilding: The first director of WTC looks toward the future as he recalls the past

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The first director of the World Trade Center and the man behind the twin towers' original construction recalled picking the architect for what were once the world's tallest buildings and his ongoing relationship with the Frenchman who walked a high wire strung between the two skyscrapers.

The WTC's first director, Guy Tozzoli, chatted Monday with museum staff of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. He was hired in 1962 by then-named Port Authority of New York to head the development, construction and management of the World Trade Center, a complex aimed to revitalize lower Manhattan.  He was responsible for the entire project and chose architect Minoru Yamasaki.

Yamasaki originally designed several 80-story towers for the site, but Tozzoli was persistent in increasing the design to feature twin 110-story buildings.  Tozzoli said he has the tendency to keep making things bigger, even now.

He now serves as president of the World Trade Center Association, an organization he founded in 1970 to connect countries through economic activity.  At its inception, the association had only 15 participants from 15 countries.  Today, there are 325 "World Trade Centers" in cites across 92 countries.  In 1999, Tozzoli was nominated by the South Korean and North Korean governments and was accepted as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work.

“I like what I do,” said Tozzoli, who at the age of 88 still heads the organization.

Tozzoli oversaw the World Trade Center in New York from its construction in the 1960's until its destruction on Sept. 11, 2001.  His office was located on the 77th floor of the North tower, and he enjoyed his time working there.  "I loved it," he said.

When speaking about the towers, Tozzoli said, “Windows on the World was my favorite place,” a restaurant he hopes to see recreated in one of the future towers.

Tozzoli also joked about his relationship with Philippe Petit, the French high-wire artist who “danced” across a tightrope between the twin towers in 1974.  The pair, who are now friends, speak at public lectures together.

“It’s really fun,” said Tozzoli, who loves sharing stories like Petit's high-wire act. “They become part of you," he said, still remembering the day mountain-climber George Willig scaled the 110 stories in 1977.

On Sept. 11, Tozzoli watch the towers he built burn and collapse while he was arriving late to work from the Holland Tunnel.

“I wanted to go down and be with the people,” he recalled.  But he was turned away after showing a police officer his credentials.  "He said, 'I don't care if you're the pope.'"

Now, Tozzoli said he wants “to help people do it all over again” and he said he's “looking forward” to visiting the 9/11 Memorial when it is completed next year.

Tozzoli also hopes to still be around when the new towers are finished.  He joked, "I'm older than God."

By Meghan Walsh, Communications Associate for the 9/11 Memorial

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