France's Macron sees Notre Dame cathedral's restoration more than 5 years after it was gutted by fire
CBSNOV 20 2024
On Friday, French Pres. Emmanuel Macron conducted a tour of the newly renovated Notre-Dame Cathedral, officially set to reopen on Dec. 7, five years after a massive fire gutted the Gothic masterpiece.Modern safety features have been discreetly integrated into the restored cathedral, including thermal cameras and fireproof barriers, while the cathedral's limestone walls have been cleaned.
The five-year restoration project, which cost €700M ($739M), mobilized 2K craftspeople, including stonemasons, carpenters, sculptors, and organ builders, to restore the 12th-century monument.On April 15, 2019, the cathedral was undergoing external renovation when a fire broke out inside its roof. Some 600 firefighters extinguished the blaze in about 15 hours, and no one was killed or injured.
The renovation included cleaning 42K square meters of stone, restoring 8K organ pipes, rebuilding the wooden framework roof, and reconstructing the 96-meter-tall spire that collapsed during the fire.On Friday, French Pres. Emmanuel Macron conducted a tour of the newly renovated Notre-Dame Cathedral, officially set to reopen on Dec. 7, five years after a massive fire gutted the Gothic masterpiece.
The restoration represents a triumph of French craftsmanship and determination, successfully meeting PresidentPres. Macron's ambitious five-year deadline while making the cathedral even more beautiful than before through meticulous attention to historical detail and preservation of cultural heritage.
This is certainly a monumental achievement but the cathedral is far from being fully restored. With an unfinished exterior and construction equipment still cluttering the premises, it seems that Macron has declared an early victory in an obvious attempt to bolster his administration.