The cornerstone, with its inscription of the words, 'to honor and remember those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 and as a tribute to the enduring spirit of freedom,' will be buried beneath the new tower. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
NEW YORK - A 20-ton slab of granite, inscribed to honor "the enduring spirit of freedom," was laid Sunday at the World Trade Center site as the cornerstone of the skyscraper that will replace the destroyed towers.
The ceremony marked the start of construction on the 1,776-foot Freedom Tower, designed as a twisting glass and steel tower that evokes the Statue of Liberty, including a 276-foot spire resembling her torch.