The cross in the apse of Notre-Dame de Pariswhich survived the devastating fire of 2019, was reinstalled atop the cathedral structure on Friday after a meticulous restoration by ironsmiths from Normandy.
The imposing cross, 40 feet tall and weighing about 3,300 pounds, is the only element of the choir roof that survived the flames.
“The cross fell very early in the fire,” Vincent Combe, project manager for the metal roofing renovation, told CBS News. “So we were very lucky because the cross didn't burn much, it just fell… it's a miracle.”
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The cross was taken to a smithy in Normandy for complex and delicate repairs. The architect Axelle Ponsonnet was involved in checking that it could be repaired according to the original 19th century design by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc.
“We were very happy to find that we could use it, reforge it and work with the metal that was here, because the cross was designed by Viollet-le-Duc, so it's a very important piece of Notre. Dame,” Ponsonnet told CBS News.
Approximately 250 companies and hundreds of craftsmen, architects and professionals have contributed to the ongoing restoration project, with the goal of reopening the cathedral on December 8, 2024.
The fire, which occurred on April 15, 2019, caused the collapse of Notre-Dame's spire and part of its roof. Five years later, the restoration has made remarkable progress, among others the reinstallation of the lead covered needle of the needle.
The 2019 fire was a major blow to the cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and symbol of Christianity that welcomed 12 million visitors each year.
