Paris’s Notre-Dame Cathedral reopened on Saturday, December 7, five and a half years after a fire destroyed its roof and spire and caused major damage.
Here is what you need to know:
What is Notre-Dame?
A medieval Gothic masterpiece, Notre-Dame de Paris (Our Lady of Paris) is one of the French capital’s most beloved and visited monuments, notable for its rib vaulting, flying buttresses, stunning stained glass windows and carved stone gargoyles. Is celebrated for.
The first stone was laid in 1163, and construction continued over the next century, with large-scale restorations and additions in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Victor Hugo helped make the cathedral a symbol of both Paris and France when he used it as a setting for his 1831 novel, “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.” Quasimodo, the main character, has been featured in Hollywood films, an animated Disney adaptation, and musicals.
Why and how did it burn?
On the evening of April 15, 2019, flames began rising from the roof of the cathedral. Soon, the fire engulfed the spire and almost brought down the main bell towers. TV viewers around the world watched in horror.
Most of the roof collapsed but the bell tower and façade remained intact.
It is unclear what exactly caused the fire. Authorities have ruled out arson and said an electrical fault or a burning cigarette may have been responsible.
What will happen at the opening ceremony?
Starting around 7 p.m. (1800 GMT), the non-religious part of the ceremony will take place in a large tent in the cathedral’s courtyard. It will begin with the screening of a documentary on Reconstruction, followed by live classical music.
President Emmanuel Macron, caught in a political crisis after the fall of the French government, will give a brief speech. Participants will then sing the national anthem La Marseillaise, after which the Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, will knock on the heavy doors of the cathedral with his crozier.
The hymn will be sung three times from inside the church and then the doors will open. Ulrich would bless the ancient organ before it began playing. This will be followed by a religious service.
Guests will include US President-elect Donald Trump, President Joe Biden’s wife Jill and dozens of heads of state and government.
The religious ceremony is scheduled to end around 2000 GMT, with a concert beginning immediately after outside the cathedral.
First mass at restored Notre-Dame to be held on Sunday
The archbishop will celebrate the Mass beginning at 10:30 a.m. (0930 GMT), the first of eight days of Masses dedicated to the reopening and open to specific groups of the faithful and guests on Dec. 11. Like for donors and firefighters. 15 December. Some mass events, including those on December 8 at 6:30 pm (1730 GMT), will be open to the general public.
When can you come?
If you’re lucky, you can visit from 5:30 pm to 8 pm on 8 December, but there is likely to be fierce competition and long queues to be the first to see the cathedral.
The cathedral says that from December 7, visitors will be able to book free tickets online on its website, social media or a dedicated app to enter the building on the same day or a day or two after booking. There will also be a queue at the spot for those who want to enter without booking.
The cathedral has also created an app to help self-guide tours.
Groups will be allowed entry only next year – from 1 February for religious groups or from 9 June for guided tourists.
The cathedral is expected to welcome 14 to 15 million visitors each year. There is a major debate in France over whether visitors should pay to enter. The church is against it, and for now the tour is free.
How was the cathedral rebuilt?
Money came from around the world, including from French luxury sector billionaire François Henri Pinault and the Arnault family. According to Macron’s office, so much money has been donated – more than 840 million euros ($888 million) – that there will not even be money left for further investment in the building.
The damage required five years of restoration work.
What has changed?
Authorities say the cathedral is more beautiful than ever, not only because its spire, ceiling and everything destroyed by the fire have been rebuilt by thousands of expert craftsmen, but also because the stones and paintings, which have blackened over the years Were done, completely made and cleaned. Furniture was also refurbished and cleaned, or replaced.
Not everything was damaged by the fire. For example, emergency workers formed a human chain to protect gem-encrusted cups and other priceless artifacts from damage.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
