(Paris) Visual change Tuesday in the Paris sky: a shape of an arrow now rises to the top of the scaffolding of Notre-Dame Cathedral, ravaged by a fire in 2019.
The public establishment responsible for supervising it did not wish to comment on this progress of the construction site, which continues. The spire structure must still be covered with a cover and its ornaments in the coming days.
The reopening of Notre-Dame is scheduled for December 8, 2024, after the Paris Olympics in the summer, a date confirmed by Emmanuel Macron at the end of August.
Last Friday, the establishment told AFP that the “familiar silhouette” of the spire would be visible “before Christmas”, peaking 96 meters above the ground. “The solid oak structure or framework of the spire will be completed in December,” said the same source.
The spire, identical to the previous one, designed by the 19th century architect Viollet-Le-Duc, and which collapsed in the fire of April 15, 2019, will however remain surrounded by the scaffolding which was used to erect the this structure.
It “will be used for the installation of its cover and its lead ornaments in 2024,” added the establishment. At the same time, “the assembly of the frames of the Nave and the choir of the cathedral – which had also collapsed in the fire – will be completed at the beginning of 2024, the date on which the installation of their roofing can also begin”.
On the interior restoration side, “the simultaneous cleaning of the walls, painted decorations and vaults (with a total area of 42,000 m²) is being completed and the scaffolding is being dismantled gradually,” added this source.
The cathedral must be ready to welcome its new liturgical furniture in dark brown bronze, as well as 1,500 openwork designer chairs in solid oak, during the last quarter of 2024.
A masterpiece of Gothic art admired throughout the world, Notre-Dame de Paris welcomed 12 million visitors on average each year before the fire, 2,500 services and 150 concerts.
