By Nakiwala Barbra
French President Emmanuel Macron has praised the monumental efforts of workers who restored Paris’s Notre-Dame Cathedral after the devastating 2019 fire.
During a televised tour on Friday, Macron called the restoration an “impossible” achievement and described the cathedral as “repaired, reinvented, and rebuilt.” The event offered the world its first glimpse inside the refurbished Gothic masterpiece ahead of its official reopening.
Speaking to the craftsmen and women who dedicated years to the project, Macron said, “The blaze at Notre-Dame was a national wound, and you have been its remedy through will, through work, through commitment.
France is so deeply grateful; you have brought Notre-Dame back.” Accompanied by First Lady Brigitte Macron and Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, the president kicked off a series of ceremonies that will culminate in the cathedral’s grand reopening on 7 December, followed by its first Catholic Mass the next day.
The €700m (£582m) restoration has not only replaced the medieval roof frame destroyed in the fire but also cleaned the cathedral’s interior, removing centuries of soot and grime since its last major restoration in the 1850s. Visitors can now expect a revitalized, breathtaking visual experience when they step inside the iconic Paris landmark.
Notre-Dame’s revamped interior, previously kept under wraps, was unveiled to the public for the first time during the tour. Macron marveled at the cathedral’s new appearance, calling it “sublime” and lauding the restoration team’s indispensable efforts. This milestone marks a moment of pride and renewal for France, as one of its most treasured symbols is brought back to life.
