This article was originally published in English
Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris is moving closer to a full reopening after years of reconstruction work following the devastating fire of April 15, 2019. For the first time since the disaster, the interior is visible to the public.
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Five years after the fire which ravaged Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, the reconstruction work on the interior of the building can finally be revealed.
Images from a visit to the site by French President Emmanuel Macron show the interior of the iconic cathedral as worshipers might have experienced it in medieval times, its large open spaces filled with bright light on a sunny day. cool, sunny winter that illuminates the vibrant colors of the stained glass windows.
The cathedral attracted millions of faithful and visitors each year before a fire on April 15, 2019, forced its closure and transformed this monument in the heart of Paris into a prohibited zone, except for craftsmen, architects and other people mobilized for reconstruction.
Outside, the monument is still a construction site, with its scaffolding and cranes. But the renovated interior – shown in all its glory on Friday for the first time before the public is not allowed to return on December 8 – turned out to be breathtaking.
The gaping holes that the fire had carved into the vaulted ceilings, leaving piles of charred debris, are gone. New stones were carefully assembled to repair and fill the wounds that had left the interior of the cathedral exposed to the elements. Delicate gilded angels gaze upon the centerpiece of one of the reconstructed ceilings, which once again rises above the transept.
The cream limestone walls of the cathedral look brand new, free not only of the dust from the fire, but also of the dirt that had accumulated over centuries.
Mr. Macron entered through the cathedral's giant, intricately carved front doors and gazed at the ceilings in wonder. He was accompanied by his wife Brigitte, the Archbishop of Paris and others.
Powerful vacuum cleaners were first used to remove toxic dust released by the cathedral's melting lead roofs.
Thin layers of latex were then sprayed onto the surfaces and removed a few days later, taking the dirt with them. Gel cleaners were also used on some walls that had been painted, removing many years of built-up dirt and revealing their vibrant colors again.
Carpenters worked by hand, like their medieval counterparts, hewing giant oak beams to rebuild the roof and spire which collapsed like a flaming spear in the blaze. The beams bear the marks of the carpenters' manual work, with the dents made in the wood by their axes.
Around 2,000 oak trees were felled to rebuild the frames, so dense and complex that they are nicknamed “the forest”.
Mr Macron's visit kicked off a series of events marking the reopening of the 12th-century Gothic masterpiece. He will return on December 7 to deliver a speech and attend the consecration of the new altar during a solemn mass the following day.
Additional sources • adaptation: Serge Duchêne
