One of Paris’ most notable tourist venues is scheduled to reopen to the public on 8 December.
After more than five years of being closed following a devastating fire, the Notre Dame Cathedral’s new interior was unveiled before French President Emmanuel Macron.
Macron was accompanied by his wife, Brigitte, Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich and Mayor Anne Hidalgo, among others.
As the interior is unveiled for the first time on Friday, it is scheduled to reopen for the public on 8 December. However, the church’s exterior remains a construction site replete with cranes and scaffolding.
The cathedral’s cream-coloured limestone walls have been cleaned not only of dust from the fire but also of centuries-old grime.
Previous to the fire, the cathedral had attracted millions of visitors. However, the blaze on 15 April 2019 forced its closure, except for architects, artisans and others working on its reconstruction, in which new and old techniques were used.
Giant beams were rebuilt in the same way as they had originally been made by hand, using medieval techniques.
Around 2,000 oak trees were felled to rebuild the roof frameworks, which are so dense and intricate that they are nicknamed “the forest”.
Macron’s visit offered a sneak peek ahead of the reopening, kicking off a series of events leading up to the unveiling of the 12th-century Gothic masterpiece.
The French president will return on 7 December to attend the consecration of the new altar and offer a speech during a Mass the following day.
