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Interior Notre Dame de Paris renovated, bright and with whitewashed walls, it opened this Friday after five years of intensive work to remove the damaging effects fire April 15, 2019to reopen our doors in time December 7 and 8.

“I believe that the shock of the discovery will be as strong as the shock of the fire, but it will be shock of hope“The President of France said, Emmanuel Macronin a speech during his latest visit to the restoration work this Friday.

This meeting, to which Macron was accompanied by his wife Brigitte; That Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo; He Archbishop of Paris Laurent Ulrichand other authorities, the occasion was chosen to offer the world a first glimpse of the new appearance of the Gothic temple, the repair of which France had undertaken as a matter of state.

Macron thought “sublime” as soon as you enter the buildingand Culture Minister Rachida Dati was most impressed by Notre Dame’s new clarity.

The authorities then wandered first through the nave and then through other corners of the Paris cathedral, such as the choir, Chapel of San Martial or impressive organ.

This is how new elements appeared – for example, modern and discreet altar table– like original works of art saved from destruction by almost a miracleespecially the statue Our Lady of Paris (Virgin Mary holding the Baby Jesus in her arms), which is considered the most iconic of the cathedral.

Reconstruction left Notre Dame essentially true to its previous configurationalthough changes have been made to improve safety standards and you can avoid accidents like the one that happened in 2019.

This is the case ‘forest‘, A huge medieval building wooden on the roof, which had to be restored after it was destroyed by fire. For this purpose, 1,200 oak trees were selected from different parts of France. recreate it The same methods were used as in the original study.

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Symbolic needle on a cruisewhich reaches a height of 96 meters, is also part of components that have been refurbished following the original model, but others, such as the stained glass windows, would be updated, not without controversy, in accordance with more modern canons.

In other areas such as Chapel of San MartialThe restoration made it possible to restore the original coloring of the paintings and frescoes, which had darkened over time.

In addition, the furniture of the new Notre Dame will gradually include specially created worksas are three tapestries commissioned by the Spanish artist Miquel Barceló.

The most beautiful work of the century

The visit was also an occasion to thank two thousand project workers – among masons, architects, carpenters, carvers and representatives of dozens of traditional and modern professions – and patrons of the titanic project.

“They turned coal into art”Macron said earlier more than thousand people -invited to represent both workers and donors – who this Friday were also able to enter the cathedral, smiling, amazed and constantly taking pictures with their mobile phones.

Never forget that you renovated, reinvented and loved this place, that you rebuilt it, that for 5 years of your life you shared the most beautiful work of the century.

Macron also did not fail to emphasize that when the fire occurred, opening in 2024 seemed an unattainable goal. But thanks to the sum of the will, efforts and enthusiasm of all involved, this “national wound” was closed within the prescribed time frame.

“In April 2019,” he recalled, “we decided that this would last 5 years. It’s true that at the beginning we were told that it was impossible, that it was crazy, that it was arbitrary (…) They did it. They achieved what seemed impossible“.

Notre-Dame belongs not only to believers, but to all of France and the whole world, Macron emphasized, and “more than us.” This, in his opinion, is evidenced by the wave of global solidarity that followed the fire and materialized in support 340 thousand visitors from fifty countries.

The project budget was 700 million euros and although the official grand opening will take place on December 7th, followed by an opening to the public on the 8th with a Mass in the morning and another in the afternoon, Work on Notre Dame should continue until 2030.

Check out some of them here best images restored Notre Dame:

EFE