Notre-Dame Cathedral reopens Saturday, five years after fire By Reuters

By Ingrid Melander and Ardee NAPOLITANO

PARIS (Reuters) – Paris' Notre-Dame cathedral reopens on Saturday, five and a half years after being ravaged by a devastating fire that destroyed its spire and roof and destroyed the entire Gothic masterpiece a few minutes after his collapse.

The 860-year-old medieval cathedral, a symbol of both France and Paris, has been meticulously restored, with a new spire and ribbed vault, its flying buttresses and carved stone gargoyles restored to their former glory. past glory and the white stone and gold decorations shine more. than ever.

On the evening of April 15, 2019, Parisians rushed to the scene and viewers around the world watched in horror as the spire and roof of the cathedral collapsed in a violent fire that threatened the main bell towers and the entire building. the structure, which narrowly avoided destruction.

“The planet was shaken that day,” French President Emmanuel Macron said before Saturday’s opening ceremony. “The shock of reopening will – I believe and I want to believe – be as strong as that of the fire, but it will be a shock of hope.”

Macron, weakened by a deep political crisis in his country, will have the opportunity to forget these misfortunes when he welcomes US President-elect Donald Trump, Prince William of Great Britain and dozens of heads of state and government , including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in a sumptuous setting. The opening ceremony is expected to begin around 7 p.m. (6 p.m. GMT).

On Friday evening, Macron's office and the Paris diocese said strong winds would force celebrations to take place entirely inside the cathedral. Macron was initially scheduled to deliver a speech outside.

“I'm afraid I'll fall on the floor when I enter because it will be very emotional,” said choir member Cecilia De Vargas, who is scheduled to participate in the opening ceremony.

“Despite the horrible thing that happened, there is a positive side, to see how everyone, all the French people sought to rebuild the cathedral with such speed.”

THE RESTORED CATHEDRAL OPEN TO VISITORS

Thousands of expert artisans – from wood carpenters and stonemasons to stained glass artists – have worked around the clock for the past five years, using time-honored methods to restore, repair or replace anything that was destroyed or damaged.

“Notre-Dame is more than a Parisian or French monument. It is also a universal monument,” said historian Damien Berne.

“It is a landmark, an emblem, a reference point which reassures in a globalized world where everything is constantly evolving,” declared Berne, member of the scientific council for the restoration of Notre-Dame.

The foundation stone of the cathedral was laid in 1163 and construction continued for much of the next century, with significant restorations and additions carried out in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Victor Hugo helped make the cathedral a symbol of both Paris and France by using it as the setting for his 1831 novel, “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.” Quasimodo, the main character, has been depicted in Hollywood films, an animated film Disney (NYSE:) adaptation and in musicals.

So much money has poured in from around the world for the renovation – more than 840 million euros ($882 million), according to Macron's office – that there are still funds left for further investment in the building.

The Catholic Church now expects the cathedral to welcome some 15 million visitors a year.

If you're lucky, you'll be able to visit the cathedral on the evening of December 8, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., but there will likely be fierce competition – and long queues – to visit the cathedral at first.

The cathedral specifies that from Saturday, visitors will be able to reserve a free ticket online, on its website, on social networks or on a dedicated application, to enter the building the same day or one or two days after the reservation. There will also be a queue on site for those wishing to enter without a reservation.

The cathedral has also created an app to facilitate self-guided tours. Groups will only have access next year – from February 1 for religious groups or from June 9 for tourists accompanied by guides.