Wednesday, December 4, 2024

First glimpse inside restored Notre-Dame cathedral five years after devastating fire

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As the world-famous Notre-Dame cathedral burned in a devastating 2019 fire, Parisians watched on in tears.

Now, after more than five years of frenetic reconstruction work, the world has been given a first glimpse inside the revived 12th-century landmark.

Today, President Emmanuel Macron is visiting the site to see the restored interiors for himself before the Gothic cathedral reopens for its first worship next month.

The televised visit is set to usher a series of events leading up to the reopening of the cathedral – the reconstruction of which has been hailed as a symbol of national unity and French can-do spirit.

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Inside the restored Notre-Dame. Pic: Reuters

A view of the nave of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral in Paris, on November 29, 2024. The Notre-Dame Cathedral is set to re-open early December 2024, with a planned weekend of ceremonies on December 7 and 8, 2024, five years after the 2019 fire which ravaged the world heritage landmark and toppled its spire. Some 250 companies and hundreds of experts were mobilised for the five-year restoration costing hundreds of millions of euros. STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/Pool via REUTERS
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Pic: Reuters

A view of the Notre-Dame cathedral as French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the monument, Friday, Nov.29, 2024 in Paris. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP)
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Pic: AP

epa11747155 French President Emmanuel Macron (C) and First Lady Brigitte Macron (L) during a visit to Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral in Paris, France, 29 November 2024. French President Macron is visiting the cathedral's construction site on 29 November, to thank the donors and people who worked to rebuild the monument after it was severely damaged in a fire that broke out on 15 April 2019. The Paris Cathedral will be officially inaugurated after nearly six years of renovation work on 07 December
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Pic: Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech to construction workers inside the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral after visiting the restored interiors of the monument, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 in Paris. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool via AP)
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Pic: AP

French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron during a visit to Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral in Paris, France, 29 November 2024. French President Macron is visiting the cathedral's construction site on 29 November, to thank the donors and people who worked to rebuild the monument after it was severely damaged in a fire that broke out on 15 April 2019. The Paris Cathedral will be officially inaugurated after nearly six years of renovation work on 07 December 2024. CHRISTOPHE PE
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Pic: Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron during a visit to Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral in Paris, France, 29 November 2024. French President Macron is visiting the cathedral's construction site on 29 November, to thank the donors and people who worked to rebuild the monument after it was severely damaged in a fire that broke out on 15 April 2019. The Paris Cathedral will be officially inaugurated after nearly six years of renovation work on 07 December 2024. CHRISTOPHE PE
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Pic: Reuters

Construction of Notre-Dame began in 1163 and was largely completed by 1260, with adaptations made in the following centuries.

Rising up from the Ile de la Cite, it has stood as a symbol of the city of Paris and French Christianity ever since. But in April 2019, a fire broke out inside the cathedral’s roof space.

A view shows the vaulted ceiling of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, which was ravaged by a fire in 2019, during a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron (not pictured) as restoration works continue before the cathedral's reopening, in Paris, France, November 29, 2024. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool
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Pic: Reuters

A view of the choir stalls of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral in Paris, on November 29, 2024. The Notre-Dame Cathedral is set to re-open early December 2024, with a planned weekend of ceremonies on December 7 and 8, 2024, five years after the 2019 fire which ravaged the world heritage landmark and toppled its spire. Some 250 companies and hundreds of experts were mobilised for the five-year restoration costing hundreds of millions of euros. STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/Pool via REUTERS
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Pic: Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech inside Notre-Dame cathedral after visiting the restored interiors of the monument, Friday, Nov.29, 2024 in Paris. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP)
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Pic: AP

Brigitte Macron (2R) greets Paris' archbishop Laurent Ulrich (C) next to Paris' mayor Anne Hidalgo (L) Ile-de-France's President Valerie Pecresse and French President Emmanuel Macron (R) during a visit to Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral in Paris, on November 29, 2024. The Notre Dame Cathedral is set to re-open early December 2024, with a planned weekend of ceremonies on December 7 and 8, 2024, five years after the 2019 fire which ravaged the world heritage landmark and toppled its spire. Some 250
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Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron during a visit to Notre-Dame cathedral. Pic: Reuters

By the time it was extinguished, the cathedral’s wooden spire had collapsed, most of the wooden roof had been destroyed, and the cathedral’s upper walls were severely damaged.

Parisians wept as they saw fire rip through the landmark, and the grieving only grew when the extent of the devastation became clear.

“I have come to be with an old friend in its last moments,” one onlooker told Sky News at the time, as they stood staring across the River Seine in disbelief.

FILE PHOTO: Smoke billows as fire engulfs the spire of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, April 15, 2019. Picture taken April 15, 2019. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo
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Smoke billows as fire engulfs the spire of Notre-Dame in 2019. File pic: Reuters

FILE PHOTO: Sparks fill the air as Paris Fire brigade members spray water to extinguish flames as the Notre Dame Cathedral burns in Paris, France, April 15, 2019. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer/File Photo
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File pic: Reuters

A woman cries as she attends the Chrism Mass, as part of the Holy Week, at the Saint Sulpice Church in Paris, Wednesday, April 17, 2019. The mass took place days after a fire partially destroyed the Notre Dame Cathedral in the early evening of April 15. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
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A woman cries as she attends the Chrism Mass days after a fire partially destroyed the Notre-Dame cathedral. Pic: Reuters

Eight months later and Notre-Dame was unable to hold its annual Christmas Mass – for the first time since 1803.

The cathedral has been shrouded in scaffolding for the last five years.

Investigators looked into the cause of the fire, but found no evidence of a deliberate act. However, it emerged a costly mistake was made soon after the blaze broke out.

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A guard had been sent to investigate reports of a fire, but was sent to the wrong place and could see no sign of the looming disaster. The error was only discovered 15 minutes later, delaying the response.

Scaffolding inside the nave of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, which was damaged in a devastating fire four years ago, as restoration works continue, in Paris, France, April 14, 2023.  REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool
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Scaffolding inside the nave of Notre-Dame. Pic: Reuters

General view inside the Notre Dame Cathedral where Pope Benedict XVI celebrates vespers in Paris on September 12, 2008. Pope Benedict XVI starts a four-day visit to Paris and Lourdes.   REUTERS/Alberto Pizzoli/Pool  (FRANCE)
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A view inside the Cathedral in 2008, before the fire. Pic: Reuters

10 July 2019, France, Paris: The partially scaffolded cathedral of Notre-Dame. Three months ago a devastating fire had partially destroyed the cathedral on 15.04.2019. Photo by: Julia Naue/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
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The cathedral was covered in scaffolding following the fire. Pic from 2019. AP


While it is unclear why the fire started, French authorities believe an electrical fault or a burning cigarette may have been the cause.

Notre-Dame is due to reopen officially to visitors on December 8, though there is expected to be a huge public demand – and long queues – to see the cathedral’s restored interior.

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