French authorities have revealed that the Notre Dame Cathedral is scheduled to reopen for visitors in late 2024, which is more than five years after the devastating fire that caused the roof and spire to collapse. The reconstruction project, costing $865 million, began in April 2019, but faced several delays due to COVID-19 lockdowns, numerous archaeological discoveries, and a controversial modernization proposal.
As per the Paris Tourist Office’s statement, architect Philippe Villeneuve will supervise the restoration, and the plan is to rebuild the cathedral precisely as it was, including the spire.
After two years of excavations to ensure the stability of the historic structure, reconstruction work commenced in the previous year. The spire will be reconstructed based on Eugene Viollet-le-Duc’s design, as French President Emmanuel Macron decided to scrap the earlier unpopular plan to replace the 19th-century spire with a modern architectural structure.
Although the decision to revamp the cathedral’s interior was met with significant opposition from the public, it was approved by France’s National Heritage and Architecture Commission, the advisory committee overseeing the restoration of landmarks. The proposal permits the inclusion of 20th and 21st-century artworks alongside the cathedral’s Old Master works, and also proposes rearranging the tabernacle to provide more space for visitors.
Initially, the French government had intended to reopen the cathedral in the summer of 2024, coinciding with that year’s summer Olympics. Instead, visitors to Paris for the event can view the newly opened exhibition “Notre-Dame de Paris: at the heart of the construction site” in an underground gallery adjacent to the cathedral. The exhibit highlights the ongoing restoration work, showcasing the skill of the 1,000 artisans on the restoration team and the enormous work that still lies ahead of them. The restoration plan calls for the use of period-appropriate materials, such as timber from 1,000 150-year-old trees, for the reconstruction of the structure, which includes the 800-year-old roof, known as “The Forest.”
Jean-Louis Georgelin, the army general supervising the restoration project, told the Associated Press that the restoration of the spire, which will soon return to Paris’ skyline, will serve as a symbol of victory in the battle to restore Notre Dame.
