Notre Dame cathedral reconstruction project takes a big leap forward

Briey, eastern France - Four years ago, the world looked on in horror as Paris' Notre Dame cathedral was engulfed in flames. As the fire took hold, the church's iconic spire, made of oak and metal, was swallowed by the blaze.

Firefighters battled the flames through the night. Astonishingly, most of the church structure survived, but the massive timber roof was lost and the 19th century spire was destroyed.

 Soon though, it will be restored to its former glory. Deep in the French countryside, teams of architects, engineers and artisans have been hard at work. Carpenters measure, cut and chisel centuries-old oak to rebuild the 300-foot spire to its original design, combining methods of the past with tools of today. Outside the workshops in Briey, in eastern France, they held a dress rehearsal on July 20 to ensure all the carefully-carved components of the spire shaft fit together.