Paris’ Notre-Dame Cathedral Reopens After Devastating Fire
The word “Merci” was projected onto the front of Paris’ Notre-Dame cathedral as it reopened on Saturday, in thanks for its salvation after a devastating fire that brought the 860-year-old building close to collapse five years ago. The first responders who helped preserve the Gothic masterpiece and some of those who subsequently restored it received a standing ovation after the Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, struck the doors of Notre-Dame three times with his crozier before symbolically reopening the building.
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed guests including U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Pope Francis, who said it was a day of “joy, celebration and praise”. Macron said it was a day of “joy and pride” and thanked all those who saved, helped and rebuilt the cathedral. The Pope hoped “the rebirth of this admirable church would constitute a prophetic sign of the renewal of the Church in France”.
Notre-Dame has been meticulously restored, with a new spire and rib vaulting, its flying buttresses and carved stone gargoyles returned to their past glory and white stone and gold decorations shining brightly once again. The restoration process took five years and involved thousands of experts, including carpenters, stonemasons, and stained glass window artists.
The cathedral’s first stone was laid in 1163, and construction continued for much of the next century, with major restoration and additions made in the 17th and 18th centuries. Victor Hugo helped make the cathedral a symbol of Paris and France when he used it as a setting for his 1831 novel “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame”.
The reopening ceremony was attended by many dignitaries, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, former French presidents Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy, and Tesla billionaire Elon Musk. Tourists who attended the event were also thrilled to see the restored cathedral, with one 26-year-old U.S. tourist saying it was “very special”. The cathedral is now open for visitors, with tickets available online.
