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PARIS — The spire of Notre Dame Cathedral, crowned with a brand new golden rooster, has regained its place on the Paris skyline this month.
Tourists and Parisians gathered outside the UNESCO World Heritage-listed cathedral to admire the restoration of its most iconic structure, but Notre-Dame’s work site remains a hive of activity. continued. Nearly 500 craftsmen are busy rebuilding, working to ensure the Parisian landmark will be ready to open to the public within a year.
Stefan Book, a tourist from Sweden who is visiting Paris with his daughter and 80-year-old father, said: “It’s interesting to see how something of historical value like this is being restored.” . “And the ambition is to get it all done within five years,” he added, “It’s like when President Kennedy said we were going to go to the moon.”
During a recent visit to the construction site, President Emmanuel Macron said construction was progressing “on schedule” and is scheduled to open to the public on December 8, 2024, five years and seven months after the fire that destroyed much of Notre Dame. I promised to be there. 1 year old in April 2019.
“By the time the Olympics approach (July), the scaffolding at the top of the spire will be removed and most of the roof will be completed. That will give Parisians and visitors from all over the world a much closer look at the Olympics. “The cathedral will be reopened,” Philippe Jost, the architect of the reconstruction of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, told the French parliament on December 13.
Those who have already admired the Gothic structure from the outside are excited by the prospect of being able to enter the cathedral again.
“The first time I came to Paris was 60 years ago, and the second time was 40 years ago,” said Stephane Book’s father, Goran Book. He remembers entering Notre Dame Cathedral every time he visited Paris. “Now I’m 80 years old,” he added. “If I’m still alive next year, I’ll have to come back to see it reopen.”
monumental effort
The Notre Dame Reconstruction Association says there are nearly 250 companies and art studios across France tasked with “working on the cathedral’s restoration.” This included carpenters, masons, scaffolders, sculptors, mold makers, glaziers, and even an organ maker, who built the 8,000-piece organ of Notre Dame Cathedral, the largest in France, and his 115 stoppers. is being repaired.
After the 2019 fire, the first two years were spent securing the building, completing project studies and conducting tenders. The restoration phase then officially began in September 2021.
In recent months, the most visible progress has been made in the restoration of the roof, spire, and framework of the great upper gallery.
Alban Dubois, who works as a waiter at Café Panisse across the street from Notre Dame Cathedral, observes the daily progress from his office window.
He was there serving tables on the day of the infamous fire. He remembers watching in shock as the flames grew and the restaurant’s windows gradually heated up. “People gathered (in restaurants) and watched helplessly,” he said. “Some people were crying… everyone was very sad.”
Now, Dubois is looking forward to the cathedral’s reopening and predicts many people will stop by to visit. “Even though (Notre Dame) has been here for years, it’s going to be like an inauguration,” he said.
Jost said 14 million visitors are expected to “flock to see the results of the restoration.”
Welcome the 21st century
While the original appearance of Notre-Dame Cathedral will be restored, President Macron also expressed his desire to “establish its place among the many other churches that appear in the works of this cathedral” in our century. also announced.
Earlier this month, he announced a competition for contemporary artists to recreate six stained glass windows on the south side of Notre Dame Cathedral to “commemorate this 21st century.”
In a similar memorial, the name of the French general who oversaw the rebuilding of Notre Dame Cathedral until his death in a mountain accident earlier this year was carved into the wood of the spire. Jean-Louis Georgelin “will remain forever” part of Notre-Dame Cathedral, Macron said. On December 8, when the cathedral’s oak spire was returned to its original position, he personally participated in the carving process.
The names of other people who took part in the rebuilding of Notre Dame were also permanently engraved on the new cathedral. On December 16, a sealed tube was placed inside a golden rooster atop the spire, containing a document listing the names of 2,000 people involved in the construction.
The rooster, previously located in the cathedral’s spire, was found damaged in the rubble the day after the fire. According to the Diocese of Paris, among them were the relics (remains) of Saint Denis and Saint Geneviève and part of Christ’s crown of thorns, all of which remained intact and are now housed in a new rooster. It is said to be enshrined there.
The old rooster, along with six stained glass windows that will be replaced, will be housed in a new museum dedicated to Notre Dame, recently announced by President Macron. “It will be a museum, a history museum, a museum explaining the permanent construction site of Notre Dame de Paris,” he said.
The cost to rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral is estimated to be approximately $767 million. According to the Notre Dame Cathedral Reconstruction Association, a total of $928 million was raised from 340,000 donors in 150 countries.
Yost said any donations not used for reconstruction would likely be used to “benefit the cathedral” in other ways.