The toll of Notre Dame Cathedral’s bells echoed across Paris on Friday morning for the first time since a devastating fire at the historic cathedral more than five years ago.
The eight restored bells in the northern bell tower of this iconic building, which was partially destroyed in a horrific fire in April 2019, tolled in harmony for about five minutes, marking the symbolic reopening of the cathedral to the public. It was a great moment.
This emotional milestone comes after five years of painstaking restoration and modernization of the 850-year-old cathedral.
“I was very moved this morning when I heard the bell ringing,” Alexandre Goujon, who managed the installation for more than a year, told CNN.
And he said the rumble was part of a technical test and was “the culmination of a big project.”
“It’s not perfect yet, but we’re going to make it perfect,” Goujon told AFP.
After a fire consumed the Gothic landmark for 15 hours and destroyed its main spire, work has begun to restore the damaged monument, involving more than 250 companies and hundreds of skilled workers. .
The cathedral was left in a state of disrepair, and it is believed that it was caused by a cigarette or an electrical short circuit.
French President Emmanuel Macron immediately vowed to rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral within five years of its destruction and make it “even more beautiful” than before.
The medieval Catholic cathedral’s scaffolding was removed earlier this year, revealing a new spire adorned with golden roosters and crosses symbolizing restoration and renewal.
Part of the restoration work included installing a fire protection mist system under the cathedral’s roof and recreating the original cross.
The cathedral will reopen to the public on December 8th.
