In the words of the great architect Sir Christopher Wren, "architecture aims at eternity".

CNN: A Quest to build

Portland stone, mined in the south western county of Dorset, was used by Sir Christopher Wren to rebuild St Paul's Cathedral between 1675 and 1710.

BBC: Stone exhibit on a roll

Opponents of modern architecture may scoff that Sir Christopher Wren and Filippo Brunelleschi tended to make buildings that lasted a little longer than 60 years.

ECONOMIST: An aptly named masterpiece reopens