Recently, French President Emmanuel Macron personally inspected the restoration work and expressed his amazement at the new look of Notre Dame Cathedral. He was accompanied by Archbishop of Paris Laurent Ulrich, along with the French Minister of Culture, the Mayor of Paris and other officials.
Mr. Macron's visit comes a week before the cathedral reopens to visitors, scheduled for December 7. Standing in front of the restored Notre Dame Cathedral, the French President could not hide his impression of the artisans' achievements.
France has mobilized about 250 companies and hundreds of experts to carry out the restoration process with a total cost of more than 750 million USD.
Standing among a group of carpenters, stonemasons, ancient painting restoration experts..., Mr. Macron affirmed: "We have never seen such a construction site. You all contributed to the project of the century. The fire at Notre Dame Cathedral was a national wound and you healed this structure with determination, hard work and dedication."
President Macron inspects Notre Dame Cathedral before its official opening
The fire that broke out on April 15, 2019, severely damaged the cathedral, a historic structure that is nearly 900 years old, since its completion in 1345. Five years after the shocking fire, the cathedral has finally been restored with the research and construction of thousands of experts and artisans, to bring a new look while still retaining the core architectural values of Notre Dame Cathedral. French President Macron has set a goal of restoring the cathedral within five years and making it "even more beautiful than before", according to AFP.
The cathedral has received $895 million in donations from 150 countries for its restoration.
The inauguration ceremony of the newly restored cathedral will take place on December 7, expected to be attended by many heads of state and celebrities, followed by a series of days of welcoming the public to visit, as well as honoring those who participated in the restoration work.
Interior space of Notre Dame Cathedral after restoration
According to President Macron's office, France has received funding from many places around the world to renovate this historic building, estimated at up to 882 million USD and still has surplus funds to invest more if needed. The Catholic Church expects Notre Dame Cathedral to welcome about 15 million visitors a year.
According to the management of Notre Dame Cathedral, the site welcomed 12 million visitors in 2017. The number is expected to rise to 14-15 million after the reopening. French ministers have floated the idea of charging tourists for entry, but the Paris diocese says free entry is an important principle to maintain.
