One World Trade Center rises over New York – in pictures

11 September 2001: firefighters walk around Ground Zero after the terrorist attacks Photograph: Alex Fuchs/AFP

27 April 2006: an excavator descends into Ground Zero, where One World Trade Centre will be built Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

6 September 2007: work advances on the foundations of the new building Photograph: Michael Nagle/Getty Images

11 September 2007: people walk in to the pit at the World Trade Centre site during ceremonies commemorating the 9/11 terrorist attacks Photograph: Getty Images

4 September 2008: piece by piece, One World Trade Centre starts to rise from the Ground Zero site Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

4 September 2008: the contours of the new building start to become apparent Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

11 September 2008: a US flag hangs from a crane in the World Trade Centre construction site Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

12 August 2009: a 70-tonne steel column is put into place Photograph: Sipa Press / Rex Features/Rex Features

11 September 2009: Ground Zero on the morning of the eighth anniversary of the attacks Photograph: Sipa Press/Rex Features

7 September 2010: storey by storey the new building edges up into the Manhattan skyline Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images

7 September 2010: on the eve of the ninth annversary of the 9/11 attacks, the site is a hive of activity Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images

11 September 2010: a port authority police officer plays at the end of a ceremony at Ground Zero to mark the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks Photograph: Andrew Mills/AFP/Getty Images

24 February 2011: One World Trade Centre is more than halfway to its final height of 541 metres (1,776 feet) Photograph: Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images

8 July 2011: One World Trade Centre starts to dominate the skyline Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images

4 August 2011: a view of the south pool waterfall with One World Trade Centre in the background Photograph: Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images

11 September 2011: the north pool of the 9/11 memorial, with One World Trade Centre under construction at the rear during the 10th anniversary ceremonies Photograph: Getty Images

11 September 2011: the annual Tribute in Light memorial echoing the twin towers of the World Trade Centre during the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks Photograph: Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images

30 January 2012: the new structure towering over its neighbours in lower Manhattan Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

27 April 2012: the lower Manhattan skyline, as One World Trade Centre is poised to become New York City's tallest building, eclipsing the Empire State Building Photograph: Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images