Three and a half years after the devastating fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, the first collapsed stone vault has been restored.

Craftsmen used 14 cubic metres of stone for the reconstruction, the Établissement Public, which is responsible for the reconstruction, said on Thursday.

“We are moving forward with determination towards the reopening of the cathedral in 2024,” said Jean-Louis Georgelin, special envoy for reconstruction.

The vaulted ceiling in the north transept was shattered by parts of the entablature – the stone horizontals that rest on the columns – which came crashing down in the fire in spring 2019.

Possibly started by a cigarette or an electrical fault, the inferno in the heart of the French capital caused international shock. After the blaze was extinguished, French President Emmanuel Macron pledged that the iconic building would be rebuilt within five years.

The restoration of the first collapsed vault is a key step towards the goal of reopening Notre-Dame for visitors and services in two years time. ©dpa