On a recent visit to the monument, participants reported that Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral has returned to splendor months ahead of its planned reopening five years after being ravaged by fire.
On April 15, 2019, the world was stunned by the fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral, which used to welcome 12 million visitors yearly.
Around 250 companies and hundreds of artisans, architects, and other specialists have been working on the extraordinary project to restore the cathedral, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a masterpiece of Gothic art.
The building's initial phase of restoration, which French President Emmanuel Macron had promised would be finished in "five years," involved clearing away tonnes of rubble and securing and cleaning up the building, which was completed in the summer of 2021 for $159 million.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused several weeks' worth of interruptions to restoration work. However, it resumed on the cathedral site and in various art workshops staffed by skilled stonemasons, glassblowers, and carpenters.
According to Philippe Jost, chairman of the public body overseeing the cathedral's reconstruction, one of the greatest technical achievements was the restoration of the nave and choir frameworks, finished in March using over a thousand 200-year-old trees from French forests.
Jost said that ongoing work will be completed by the December reopening deadline.
Furthermore, the iconic building had already experienced a significant event in February when the scaffolding surrounding its spire collapsed. According to officials, the spire will be fully exposed by the time the July Olympics in Paris begin.
The lead coating on the spire has caused a lot of discussion due to its possible toxicity.
In December, the cathedral received a new golden rooster to replace the one damaged in the fire, along with its magnificent cross.
Authorities still have not determined the cause of the fire, although they believe it was accidentally sparked.
Within hours following the fire, a fund-raising campaign was launched, and donations totaling $903 million were received.
France has called for offers to provide contemporary stained glass for Notre Dame, with deliveries scheduled in 2026.
