NEW YORK — The plot of land known for a decade as “the pile,” “the pit” and “Ground Zero” opened to the public today for the first time since that terrible morning in 2001, transformed into a memorial consisting of two serene reflecting pools ringed by the chiseled-in-bronze names of the nearly 3,000 souls lost.

The 9-11 memorial plaza opened its gates at 10 a.m. under tight, airport-style security. Visitors were allowed to walk among hundreds of white oak trees on the 8-acre site and gaze at the water on the exact spots where the World Trade Center’s twin towers stood.

They also will be able to run their fingers over the names of the 2,977 people killed in the terrorist attacks in New York, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania, as well as the six who died in the bombing of the trade center in 1993. Electronic directories with a “Find a Name” button will help people locate their loved ones.

One of the first members of the public to visit was Eileen Cristina, 64, of Lititz, Pa., who volunteered her services as a massage therapist to the landfill workers who handled the trade center debris. She was moved to tears by the moment today.

“For me, the water element is very important, because water is so cleansing. Water can cleanse the energy of the area,” she said.