







"I am delighted that some great world-beating companies, household names, have joined us."





Tony Blair: "This is too good to be torn down"

"The masts are up, the roof is on. And the structure has been built to last, not to be torn down after a year as was previously envisaged."

Mr Blair admitted the path had not been easy, but said: "We are on time, on budget and on course to achieve what we set out to do, to celebrate the new millennium with pride in our past achievements and confidence in our future.

"I want this when we have finished it to provide the greatest day out on Earth in the year 2000. That's what we can do," he said.





The dome will contain 13 exhibitions

"This will be the most famous new building in the world in the year 2000."

The topping out ceremony marked the first anniversary of the start of construction, and the completion of the highest point of the Dome's roof.

Four abseilers descended 150ft from the centre of the roof carrying a plaque inscribed: "To commemorate the topping out ceremony for the Millennium Dome, Greenwich, 22 June 1998,"

Mr Blair, the Minister without Portfolio Peter Mandelson - who is responsible for the Dome, the Culture Secretary Chris Smith and the Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott all stamped their names on the plaque.





Construction workers abseil from the roof with the plaque

It was then handed back to construction workers who were raised by crane to attach it to the roof.

Construction workers at the site claim the design meant the Dome could last for hundreds of years if it was properly maintained.





The Dome is situated on the south bank of the River Thames near the Greenwich Meridian line, which marks the official beginning of world time.





The dome will contain 13 exhibitions

The dome is aiming to enter the Guinness Book of Records, as the largest covered structure in the world, said a Millennium Central spokesman.

The spokesman said: "We are entering the dome for the record books. The nearest dome structure is the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, USA, but we are twice the size of that now."