Notre Dame Cathedral’s New Spire Gains Golden Rooster Weathervane

Nearly five years after the fire that decimated Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, the reconstructed spire was revealed in an Instagram post yesterday. The oak spire is 315 feet tall and is topped with a golden rooster and cross.

Made to resemble the original, the spire is a copy of one made by Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century. This was the second spire made for the cathedral. The original 13th century spire was removed due to damage in the late 18th century.

The newest iteration was designed by architect Philippe Villeneuve, head of Notre Dame’s vast renovation project. The new rooster was blessed by the Archbishop of Paris last December before it was mounted by a crane. Its inside contains a number of relics, including fragments of what is believed to be Jesus’s crown of thorns.

Notre Dame is slated to reopen on December 8. The complete restoration of the building and surrounding area, however, will continue through 2028.

French president Macron had promised the cathedral would be completed within five years of the fire. Unfortunately, it won’t reopen in time for the summer Olympic Games starting in July.