Cranes hoist massive oak trusses onto Notre Dame Cathedral 4 years after fire

PARIS - A crane hoisted massive oak trusses from a barge and onto Notre Dame Cathedral on Tuesday in a spectacular operation to rebuild the fire-ravaged monument and bring it back to life by December 2024.With trusses weighing 7 to 7.5 tons, the delicate operation drew crowds along a bridge over the Seine River and on its banks."I think it’s a magical moment for a lot of Parisians this morning," said Transport Minister Clement Beaune, noting that the Seine will be at the center of the Paris Olympics in 2024.The first 15 meters long and 10 meters high timber truss (R) is craned into place at Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral during its restoration following a massive fire 4-years-ago, in Paris on July 11, 2023.

Notre-Dame de Paris, which was partially destro Gen. Jean-Louis Georgelin, appointed by French President Emmanuel Macron to oversee Notre Dame’s reconstruction, said that even the heavy traffic expected during the summer Games won’t stop work on the world-renowned cathedral.READ MORE: Notre Dame Cathedral set to reopen in December 2024, Paris officials say"We will work for the cathedral during the Olympics in order to be ready in December 2024," he said. "This is our goal."Notre Dame, which overlooks the historic core of Paris from an island on the Seine, was consumed by flames in 2019.

It was decided to rebuild the monument using methods of yore.The first 15 meters long and 10 meters high timber truss (R) is craned into place at Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral during its restoration following a massive fire 4-years-ago, in Paris on July 11, 2023.

Notre-Dame de Paris, which was partially destro Expert carpenters used medieval techniques to construct the trusses, which measure 14 to 16 meters (46 to 52 feet) wide and 12.