NEW YORK, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Two New York City landmarks were lit in the colors of the French national flag Tuesday night to show solidarity with the French people over the devastating Notre Dame Cathedral fire.
When dusk fell, One World Trade Center, (One WTC), the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan, started to shine in blue, white and red on its 408-feet (124 meters) spire as a tribute to the severely damaged Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
The lighting was directed by New York state Governor Andrew Cuomo earlier on Tuesday, according to his office.
"The Notre Dame Cathedral's centuries of history, art and iconic architecture are irreplaceable, and we are deeply grateful to the brave first responders who worked diligently to extinguish the flames and save portions of this significant piece of French and Catholic history," said Cuomo in a statement.
Meanwhile, some 3 miles (4.8 km) north of One WTC, the top parts of the Empire State Building in Midtown Manhattan were also illuminated in the French tricolor to show support for France and Paris in the wake of the cathedral fire.
The fire, which broke out in the famed Paris cathedral on Monday, caused colossal damage to the medieval architecture, destroying its roof and iconic spire.