Celebration in Paris. The huge word “Thank you” shines at Notre Dame Cathedral. This is a message to everyone who helped revive the iconic landmark after the fire. And now, five years later, Notre Dame is open again.
As world leaders, including Donald Trump, gathered inside, hundreds of Parisians came to watch the opening outside.
[Parisian]:
“I wanted to hear the bells. Notre Dame’s life is encapsulated in the sounds he makes, and for five years he was silent.”
The fire occurred on April 15, 2019. The 860-year-old cathedral could have collapsed, but this was prevented.
Thousands of specialists – from carpenters and masons to stained glass artists – have been working around the clock for the past five years. Centuries-old techniques were used to restore, repair or replace everything that was destroyed or damaged.
A new spire and ribbed vault were erected on Notre-Dame, and white stone and gold elements of décor shone brightly again.
According to the office of the President of France, more than $880 million was allocated for the reconstruction of the cathedral around the world as a whole. Part of the funds is still left, and they plan to use them for further investment in the building.
The first stone of the cathedral was laid in 1163, and construction continued for most of the next century. And in the XVII and XVIII centuries, the main restorations and additions were carried out.
The cathedral is world-famous thanks to the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo, which he wrote in 1831. The action unfolds, including within its walls.
