4 Years After Tragic Fire, Notre-Dame's Spire Reappears On Paris Skyline

The cathedral is due to reopen on December 8, 2024, President Emmanuel Macron announced in August.

The outline of the new spire on the Notre-Dame Cathedral was visible on the Paris skyline on Tuesday as a key part of the reconstruction from a devastating fire approached completion. Scaffolding still surrounded the new spire, captured by an AFP photographer, and officials did not wish to comment while they await the finishing touches.

The authority overseeing the rebuilding told AFP last Friday that the oak structure of the spire, which reaches 96 metres (315 feet) high, would be visible "before Christmas".

It is identical to the previous one, designed by the 19th century architect Viollet-Le-Duc, which collapsed in the fire of April 15, 2019.