One World Trade Center becomes the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere

Iron workers hoisted a spire onto One World Trade Center on Friday, according to Reuters, raising it higher than all other buildings in the Western Hemisphere and marking a historical day of rebuilding for the US after the 9/11 attacks destroyed the original towers.

The building now stands 1,776 feet high, according to the news wire, a number that represents the year during which America declared its independence from Britain.

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New York residents and reporters on social media posted photos of the center, which towers over the city, though other buildings still hold the worldwide record for height.

Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the world's tallest building, according to the official website, standing at more than 800 metres high.

Next, the Makkah Clock Royal Tower in Saudi Arabia, owned by Fairmont Hotels, scrapes the clouds at about 600 metres in height.

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One World Trade Centre's 1,776 feet equates to about 541 metres, making it the third largest building in the world.

While the CN Tower in Toronto stands slightly taller than One World Trade Centre, however, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, which claims authority over the global list of tall buildings, says it's a telecommunications tower, not a building.