The Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris reopened to the public on December 8, 2024, more than five years after a devastating fire that started on April 15, 2019. The fire collapsed the cathedral’s spire and roof, and nearly $900 million was donated for its restoration. Construction on the cathedral was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic but resumed in June 2020. The damaged scaffolding was dismantled in November 2020, and workers began restoring the interior of the cathedral. The reconstruction required a thousand oak trees, with the spire rebuilt identically to the original design by architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. Stonemasons, carpenters, sculptors, and various experts worked on the project at an estimated cost of almost $800 million. The restoration included the stained-glass windows, wrought iron railings, vaults, and buttress walls. The Grand Organ, the largest in France, was restored to remove lead dust from the fire. The Notre-Dame Cathedral is set to fully reopen in December 2024, with a weekend of ceremonies planned. It has been a massive restoration project involving hundreds of experts and companies, costing hundreds of millions of euros.
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Five years after devastating fire, Notre Dame Cathedral fully restored and open to public viewing
