France's iconic Notre Dame Cathedral is formally reopening its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark.
France's iconic Notre Dame Cathedral is formally reopening its doors on Saturday for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019.
Monumental feats of restoration mark the reopening. Inside, 42,000 square meters of stonework, equal to six soccer pitches, have been meticulously cleaned. The thunderous great organ, with 7,952 pipes ranging from pen-sized to torso-wide, will play for the first time since 2019, controlled by a newly renovated console boasting five keyboards, 115 stops, and 30-foot pedals. Overhead, a dense lattice of 2,000 oak beams, nicknamed “the forest,” anchors the spire and roof.Notre Dame’s rector, Rev.
Because of strong winds forecast for Saturday evening, French officials said Friday the entire opening ceremony will be held inside Notre Dame, instead of starting from the cathedral’s forecourt as initially planned. The cathedral’s largest bell, Emmanuel, weighs 13 tons and rings in F sharp — a legacy from King Louis XIV in 1683.
The French president, who has called Notre Dame's reopening “a jolt of hope,” will address the gathering. He had hoped the occasion would briefly silence his critics and showcase France’s unity and resilience under his leadership, and the achievement of restoring Notre Dame in just five years — a timeline that had seemed improbable to many.
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