This past week, the Notre Dame Cathedral opened its doors to presidents, princes, tourists, and locals for the first time in five years since its devastating 2019 fire.
“It’s… a sign of comfort, national pride, resilience, resistance,” said AV French teacher Manja Benadjaoud.
The Blaze and the (Re)Building
On April 15, 2019, flames engulfed Notre Dame, burning the nearly 900-year-old cathedral. Officials report that an electrical short circuit or a stray cigarette butt most likely caused the fire.
“[When I first heard about the fire], there was a lot of shock and disbelief… I just thought it was the end of an era,” said AV English teacher Stacey Sklar.
According to the New York Times, Americans donated an estimated $62 million to the restoration. This prompted concerns from some.
“I was even more shocked when I heard how much money they collected in order to rebuild Notre Dame. [This] was during a time when we had tons of refugees coming to Europe. So I thought it’s kind of weird that people are willing to give all their money for the landmark but didn’t really do much to help refugees,” said Benadjaoud.
Regardless, over 2,000 artisans worked to restore the damaged church over just five years. Their attention to detail was meticulous; experts selected each tree used to match the contours of the ancient wood it would be replacing. Architects even commemorated the fire in their designs.
“200 years ago, they added a spire to the top with a chicken on it… and [now] they have created a hybrid chicken-phoenix that is now on top of the church, rising from the ashes,” said Sklar.
Opening Weekend
On Saturday, December 7, Archbishop Laurent Ulrich led more than 1,500 guests through a reopening service. He started the opening by tapping on the doors with his bishop’s staff, constructed from salvaged pieces of the original cathedral roof.
“It’s gorgeous because the colors are brighter now… They have, of course, restored some things that looked really run down,” said Benadjaoud.
Hundreds of religious heads and notable politicians, such as Donald Trump and Prince William, joined the Archbishop in the reopening. However, Notre Dame being a site for political gatherings is nothing new.
“Throughout history, it was used by Napoleon to crown himself. The presidents are very often giving speeches there. We have had national funerals held there,” said Benadjaoud.
The general public attended the reopening as well. Tickets for the opening week masses sold out within 25 minutes.
“I’ve never visited it before, but I do know it’s really beautiful. If I ever have a chance to visit it [with] my friends, I would love to do it,” said French student Shreya Kashyap (‘26).
