Groundbreaking

Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod or a sod-turning ceremony, is a ceremony to mark the first day of building a building or other construction project. A specific person picks up a special shovel and lifts the first shovelful of dirt. Important people such as politicians and businesspeople come to groundbreaking ceremonies and often take part. The actual shovel used during the groundbreaking can be a special ceremonial shovel, sometimes colored in gold or have words carved on it so it can be shown in the actual building, in a museum or at home. In other groundbreaking ceremonies, people use a bulldozer instead of a shovel. In some groundbreaking ceremonies, both the shovel and the bulldozer are used to mark the first day of construction. In other places, this ceremony can be replaced by a "laying of the first stone" event.

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  Groundbreaking ceremony with shovels, marking the start of construction of the new Städel Museum in Frankfurt am Main on September 6, 2009.
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  Engraved shovel prepared for the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Städel Museum.
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  Groundbreaking ceremony with a bulldozer, marking the start of construction of the new Line 6 of the Santiago Metro on September 13, 2012, in which President Sebastián Piñera (fourth from left) took part.