In April a new tower was installed, which was to be identical to the original one. Now begins the next important stage in rebuilding the cathedral, which was destroyed by a great fire on April 15, 2019. General Jean-Louis Georgelin, in charge of the restoration, said it should allow Parisians to see “the familiar silhouette of their cathedral at the end of the year” again. “Step by step, quiet and calm, we are moving towards reopening.”
A total of three supports will be installed. They are made in the workshops of specialist carpenters and will form the backbone of the frame around the tower and wing arms.
The three were taken on Tuesday morning across the Seine, which was thus closed for a few hours. The first truss, about twelve meters high and weighing about seven tons, was then raised by crane to the top of the cathedral. It looks like all gables will be installed over the summer.
The reconstruction of Notre Dame is scheduled to be completed in December 2024. Georgelin stressed that the Olympic Games in Paris next year should not cause any delay. Prior to the fire, the cathedral attracted about twelve million visitors annually.
