The bells returned to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris for reopening after a devastating fire in 2019, AP News reported.
A convoy of trucks carrying eight restored bells, the heaviest of which weighed over 4 tonnes, entered the huge work site around the monument on Thursday. They will be blessed during a special ceremony inside the cathedral and then hung in the twin towers ahead of the official unveiling on 8 December.
Cathedral Rector Olivier Ribadeau Dumas called the bells “a sign that the cathedral will again resonate, and that its voice will be heard again. A sign of the call to prayer, and a sign of coming together.”
The bells would be raised one at a time and tested, but they would not be rung fully until opening day, Philippe Jost, overseeing the massive Notre Dame renovation project, stated.
Although construction of the cathedral began in the 12th century, the bronze bells damaged in the fire date back to the 21st century. They were built in accordance with historical tradition to replace the old bells, which had become out of tune, to commemorate the 850th anniversary of the landmark.
The roof and spire of the cathedral collapsed during a fire. They have been replaced and the scaffolding is being removed gradually, marking the end of the restoration.
