The restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral is ‘amazing,’ France’s Macron said before the reopening
Notre-Dame Cathedral will reopen its doors next week to Parisian tourists and faithful Catholics, five and a half years after a fire destroyed the Gothic masterpiece, which is one of the most popular and visited monuments in the French capital.
President Emmanuel Macron was one of the first to catch a glimpse of the newly renovated church on Friday morning. He seemed impressed by the wonderful light that entered the church after the church’s windows were renewed and the white stones were cleaned.
“This is surprising to us,” said the president when he took a long walk with his wife Brigitte and other officials, shaking hands with many craftsmen who participated in the renovation.
Major reconstruction work has restored the 12th-century cathedral, spire, rib vaulting, flying buttresses, stained-glass windows and carved stonework to their former glory, with the white and gold stone decorations shining brighter than ever.
“We have never seen such a construction site. You all have your share in the project of the century,” Macron told a gathering that included carpenters, stonemasons, art restorers, firefighters and patrons.
“The burning of Notre-Dame was a nation’s wound and you were its cure, [restoring it] with determination, hard work and dedication.”
Workers, including members of the elite ‘Compagnons du Devoir,’ a centuries-old trade union considered France’s finest, applauded when Macron concluded his speech.
‘A unique renovation project’
It is far from the evening of April 15, 2019, when TV viewers in France and around the world watched in horror as the roof of the cathedral and the burning atmosphere burst into flames and collapsed in a raging fire that also threatened the great iron towers, narrowly avoided. destruction.
Firefighters worked through the night to save the cathedral, and for more than five years, thousands of artisans used ancient methods to restore, repair or replace everything that was destroyed or damaged.
“It was a wonderful repair job,” said stonemason Samir Abbas, 38, relieved to have finished on time, as he waited with about 1,300 other workers a week before Macron’s arrival.
The opening ceremony – to which celebrities and heads of state have been invited – is scheduled for the evening of December 7, followed by days of special masses to celebrate the reopening and to thank those who helped save and rebuild the cathedral.
So much money has been spent to renovate the world – more than 840 million euros ($1.24 billion Cdn), according to Macron’s office – that there is still money left for further investment in the building.
Now the Catholic Church expects the cathedral to welcome about 15 million visitors every year.
“We are very eager to welcome the whole world under the roof of our church,” Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich said in a message on the cathedral’s website, expressing the church’s gratitude to all who helped save it.
“On the night of April 15, hundreds of thousands of people committed themselves to what seemed impossible: to restore the cathedral and restore its splendor within an unprecedented five-year deadline.”
Parisians expressed joy and relief on Friday at the prospect of the cathedral reopening.
“I’m very happy,” said 50-year-old architect Sebastien Truchot, who lives nearby. “Whether you believe in God or not, Notre-Dame is a universal symbol, and it’s amazing to have it and rediscover it.”
Albert Abid, a bookseller who owns a shop at the docks, was shocked to see it burned five years ago. “It’s a relief. Finally, Notre-Dame has been restored,” he said.
The famous Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris rises from the ashes of a devastating fire five years ago. The National’s Adrienne Arsenault got rare access to the project to learn more about the painful recovery efforts.
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