Five years after a devastating fire, the restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral is nearing completion as Paris draws more and more attention to this year’s Olympic Games.
On April 15, 2019, the roof of the cathedral caught fire. In a short time it overwhelmed the central tower and almost caused the bell towers to collapse. All over the world, spectators watched in horror as the medieval temple burned down.
Macron, whose second and final term expires in 2027, wants the restoration of the cathedral to improve the country’s confidence – and his government’s approval ratings.
“Only once in a century is it possible to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, only once in a millennium is it possible to rebuild a cathedral,” Macron said in his 2024 New Year’s speech.
It is not yet clear what exactly caused the fire. French authorities said the cause could be an electrical fault or a burnt cigarette.
The façade resisted the fire, but the damage required years of intense stabilization and restoration work.
The pride of those working on the project is evident.
“This is the construction work of a lifetime, because restoring an entire monument in all its three-dimensionality is exceptional,” said Emma Roux, an artisan who works on the iconic stained glass windows.
The reopening is scheduled for December and is currently on schedule, according to the authority leading the project.
“We are on time and on budget,” Philippe Jost said at a Senate hearing last month.
Jost told parliamentarians that the project has so far cost 550 million euros, financed in part by large donations, including those from luxury billionaires François Henri Pinault and the Arnault family. So much money has been donated that funds remain for further investment in the cathedral, he said.
Source: Terra
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