Dresden's church reconstruction nears completion

Workers placed the last stone in the exterior of Dresden's famed Frauenkirche, a major step in the 18th-century church's $240.6 million restoration to its pre-World War II splendour. The 300kg sandstone, hoisted to a height of 78m by a crane, completed the stone part of the Church of Our Lady's exterior.

Remaining scaffolding is to be removed after the dome's wooden cap is installed on June 2.

The church collapsed after the 1945 firebombing of Dresden. For years the church was left in ruins. Work on clearing away the rubble began in 1994.