Ceremony marks building of Freedom Tower

A 20-ton slab of granite, inscribed to honour “the enduring spirit of freedom”, has been laid at the World Trade Centre site as the cornerstone of the skyscraper that will replace the destroyed towers.

The ceremony marked the start of construction on the 1,776ft Freedom Tower, designed as a twisting glass and steel tower that evokes the Statue of Liberty, including a 276ft spire resembling her torch. Its height in feet is to symbolise the year the United States gained independence from Britain.