"Shocking," "fascinating": Notre Dame cathedral reopens its doors

The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris unveiled its new "radiance" to the world Friday, five years after a devastating fire, during a visit by French President, Emmanuel Macron, AFP reports. It will open its doors to the general public in eight days.

"It is sublime," the president assured as he unveiled the cathedral, which he considered as "much more welcoming" after the cleaning of the dirt accumulated over decades on its stones. The French presidency had spared no qualifiers to present this Friday's visit: "splendor," "fascination," "breathtaking" view, "colorful fireworks," etc.

The public will still have to wait a little more than a week to gain access to the temple. Religious and secular reopening ceremonies are scheduled for December 7 and 8, before the doors are opened to the world. France invited numerous foreign leaders, although it is not yet known who will attend. Pope Francis has already announced that he will not be present.

And he promised an overwhelming spectacle and a striking contrast to the "open vault", the "charred garbage" and the "unbearable" smell that Macron discovered the night of the fire, April 15, 2019.

The flames ravaged the roof and frame of the cathedral, one of Europe's most visited monuments. Its iconic spire, built by Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century, collapsed and was rebuilt identically.

"French pride"

Images of the fire, the causes of which have not yet been identified, went around the world. Macron pledged to reopen the building within five years, which raised some skepticism at the time.

Now he is presenting its reopening as the culmination of a year of "French pride," following the success of the Olympic Games and Paralympic 2024, and at a time when the president is politically weakened.

The visit allowed for a tour from the esplanade to the roof structure, through the nave, the transept and some of its chapels, and to show the main achievements of this titanic project.

"You see the cathedral as you have never seen it," "five years after the vision of desolation," assured Philippe Jost, in charge of the restoration, during the visit. "I remember as if it were yesterday that the Pietà was the only one to emerge" from the rubble, replied the president, accompanied by his wife, Brigitte Macron, and the archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich.

The 2,000 people who contributed to the restoration were invited to this visit, of whom about 1,300 were present. "This last visit to the works is the occasion to thank" those who worked on them, from carpenters to stonemasons, including architects and archaeologists, among others, Macron advanced. The president will also pay tribute to the patrons, since the project has cost some 700 million euros (about $740 million at the current exchange rate) and has been financed exclusively by donations.