A 20-tonne slab of granite, inscribed to honour ‘‘the enduring spirit of freedom,’’ was laid today at the World Trade Centre site as the cornerstone of the skyscraper that will replace the destroyed towers. The ceremony today marked the start of construction on the 533 metre Freedom Tower, designed as a twisting glass and steel tower that evokes the Statue of Liberty, including a 83-metre spire resembling her torch. Its height in feet is to symbolise the year the US gained independence.Organisers say it would be the world’s largest skyscraper, but it is not clear whether it would hold that title by the time it is completed in 2009. The WTC towers were 405 metres tall. —(PTI)
