Paris' iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral nears completion of repairs, eyes Christmas reopening

In 2019, a severe fire devastated the renowned Notre-Dame Cathedral. Since then, the city authorities have embarked on a mission to restore this monumental edifice. Now, as work approaches completion, many are wondering: when can we visit the famous cathedral again?

The Notre-Dame Cathedral, erected in the 9th century, stands as one of the globe's most revered cathedrals. Its construction spanned over 180 years, and it has inspired countless authors. Most notably, Victor Hugo paid homage to the building in his novel "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame", which later became the foundation for one of Disney's most beloved animated classics.

On April 15, 2019, a catastrophic fire caused substantial damage to the cathedral. The roof, vaults, and a 19th-century spire collapsed. The fire also negatively affected the building's acoustic properties. Following the blaze, the cathedral had to close its doors to the public. However, since then, it has undergone restoration for the past four years, a process that it seems will continue for at least another year. The cathedral is expected to welcome visitors once again around Christmas.

On that fateful day of April 15, 2019, the world watched in horror as the Notre-Dame cathedral caught fire. The cause of the fire remains a mystery. Nevertheless, it is known that smoke sensors had immediately signalled a problem. Sadly, a cathedral employee dismissed the alert, opting not to call the fire department but instead sending a guard to investigate.

Tragically, the guard was directed to the wrong location. The fire was only discovered 15 minutes later when flames had already engulfed the tower, causing extensive damage to the roof and vaults. Despite being alerted late, the fire department managed to mobilise in less than 10 minutes, with rescue operations involving over 500 firefighters. Sadly, one firefighter suffered serious injuries during the rescue operations.

Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, initially revealed plans for the Notre-Dame to reopen shortly before the 2024 Olympic Games, slated to begin on July 26. However, the date has since been moved up to December 8. As it stands, it appears that the cathedral will host the next year's Christmas mass. Architectural restorations this year aim to restore the spire to the building – a task well underway. "In terms of interior renovations, we are finishing the cleaning of the walls, painted decorations, and vaults. Scaffoldings are also gradually being dismantled," revealed restorers involved in the cathedral's reconstruction.