Paris’ Notre-Dame Cathedral reopens Saturday, five-and-a-half years after a fire nearly destroyed it, with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and other world leaders attending the ceremony.
The 860-year-old cathedral, a symbol of France and Paris, has been carefully restored after a devastating fire on April 15, 2019.
"The planet was shaken on that day," French President Emmanuel Macron said ahead of Saturday's opening ceremony. “The shock of the 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.”
Dozens of world leaders and dignitaries, including President-elect Donald Trump, are expected at the reopening ceremony of Notre-Dame Cathedral. For Trump, it marks his first international appearance since winning the election last month.
French President Emmanuel Macron, grappling with a domestic political crisis, will host the event, welcoming Trump, Poland’s President Adnrzej Duda, Britain’s Prince William, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other global leaders to the lavish ceremony scheduled for 1800 GMT.
Thousands of expert craftspeople - from wood carpenters and stonemasons to stained glass window artists - worked around the clock for the last five years, using age-old methods to restore, repair or replace everything that was destroyed or damaged.
"The planet was shaken on that day," French President Emmanuel Macron said ahead of Saturday's opening ceremony. “The shock of the 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.”
Dozens of world leaders and dignitaries, including President-elect Donald Trump, are expected at the reopening ceremony of Notre-Dame Cathedral. For Trump, it marks his first international appearance since winning the election last month.
French President Emmanuel Macron, grappling with a domestic political crisis, will host the event, welcoming Trump, Poland’s President Adnrzej Duda, Britain’s Prince William, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other global leaders to the lavish ceremony scheduled for 1800 GMT.
Restored cathedral open to visitors
Thousands of expert craftspeople - from wood carpenters and stonemasons to stained glass window artists - worked around the clock for the last five years, using age-old methods to restore, repair or replace everything that was destroyed or damaged.
"Notre-Dame is more than a Parisian or French monument. It's also a universal monument," said historian Damien Berne.
The cathedral's first stone was laid in 1163, and construction continued for much of the next century, with major restoration and additions made in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Over €840 million was donated for the renovation from around the world, according to Macron’s office, leaving extra funds for future work on the cathedral.
The cathedral's first stone was laid in 1163, and construction continued for much of the next century, with major restoration and additions made in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Over €840 million was donated for the renovation from around the world, according to Macron’s office, leaving extra funds for future work on the cathedral.
The Catholic Church now expects the cathedral to welcome some 15 million visitors annually.The magnificently restored interior of the Notre-Dame Cathedral. pic.twitter.com/aGrXcWWIFn
— Architecture & Tradition (@archi_tradition) December 5, 2024
The cathedral says that from Saturday, visitors will be able to book a free ticket online, on its website, social media or a dedicated app, to get into the building on the same day or one or two days after booking. There will also be a queue on the spot for those who want to enter without a booking.
Notre-Dame Cathedral has served as a beacon for Polish émigrés, including figures like Adam Mickiewicz and Fryderyk Chopin, particularly in the aftermath of the November Uprising of 1830-31.
The cathedral also holds Polish royal history. After abdicating in 1669, King Jan II Kazimierz brought Poland’s relic of the True Cross, used in monarchs' coronations, to France. Following his death, it was kept in Notre-Dame’s treasury.
In 2018, a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Częstochowa, a revered Polish icon, became the first national chapel in Notre-Dame, cementing Poland’s cultural and spiritual ties to the cathedral.
Poland’s Connection to Notre-Dame
Notre-Dame Cathedral has served as a beacon for Polish émigrés, including figures like Adam Mickiewicz and Fryderyk Chopin, particularly in the aftermath of the November Uprising of 1830-31.
The cathedral also holds Polish royal history. After abdicating in 1669, King Jan II Kazimierz brought Poland’s relic of the True Cross, used in monarchs' coronations, to France. Following his death, it was kept in Notre-Dame’s treasury.
In 2018, a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Częstochowa, a revered Polish icon, became the first national chapel in Notre-Dame, cementing Poland’s cultural and spiritual ties to the cathedral.
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