PARIS - The word 'Merci' was projected on to the front of Paris' Notre-Dame cathedral as it reopened on Saturday (Dec 7) in thanks for its salvation after a devastating fire that brought the 860-year-old building close to collapse five years ago.
Paris archbishop Laurent Ulrich, Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral.PARIS - The word "Merci" was projected on to the front of Paris' Notre-Dame cathedral as it reopened on Saturday in thanks for its salvation after a devastating fire that brought the 860-year-old building close to collapse five years ago.
"Tonight we can together share joy and pride. Long live Notre-Dame de Paris, long live the Republic and long live France." Five years ago, on the evening of April 15, 2019, dismayed Parisians rushed to the scene and TV viewers worldwide watched horrified as the fire raged through the cathedral, the spire fell and the roof collapsed.
France's Marseillaise national anthem rang out as the ceremony drew to a close. Macron will host Trump and heads of state and government at a dinner in the presidential Elysee Palace after the ceremony.Thousands of experts - from carpenters and stonemasons to stained glass window artists - worked round the clock for five years, using age-old methods to restore, repair or replace everything that was destroyed or damaged.
The cathedral's first stone was laid in 1163 and construction continued for much of the next century, with major restoration and additions made in the 17th and 18th centuries. Group visits will be allowed next year - from Feb 1 for religious groups or from June 9 for tourists with guides. The Catholic Church expects the cathedral to welcome 15 million visitors each year.
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