Notre Dame Cathedral is ready to open

During a construction progress update on June 25, the cathedral’s director and parish priest, Monsignor Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, announced that Notre Dame de Paris will officially reopen on December 8. The inauguration ceremony will be a grand affair, with masses taking place continuously for eight days, celebrated by Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, including a ceremony dedicated to the firefighters, volunteers, artisans and staff who have worked on the restoration.

The massive renovation of the cathedral's interior was completed with "joy, enthusiasm and deep gratitude" by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich.

Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris suffered a massive fire in April 2019, collapsing the spire and destroying part of the roof of the 860-year-old Gothic structure. Images of the fire raging at Notre Dame spread around the world, shocking architecture and culture lovers. Hundreds of thousands of donors from 150 countries donated more than $840 million to restore the cathedral.

The church has not only been restored to its original state but also cleverly incorporated modern design elements, promising to bring a unique contemplative experience to visitors.

In addition to the new interior, the chapel’s decorative motifs have been restored to their original splendor and seven tapestries and six stained-glass windows have been added. These windows are representative works selected through a competition that brought together 110 contemporary artists, including Daniel Buren, Herve Di Rosa and Yan Pei-Ming. This combination aims to honor the church’s historical value while injecting a breath of contemporary art into the building.

Monsignor Olivier Ribadeau Dumas stressed that the renovation will bring "a profound cultural and spiritual experience". The restoration process also includes restoring important elements such as the main tower, wooden frame, golden cross and rooster statue, ensuring that the characteristic shape of the church is preserved but integrating modern safety features.

The cathedral is expected to see a surge in visitors after its inauguration, with around 15 million people visiting annually, up from 12 million before the fire. The cathedral’s management will implement an online ticketing system, ensuring that visitors only wait a maximum of 30 minutes to enter. Tickets will also be sold directly at the cathedral for those who drop by on a whim. Individual visitors will be able to visit the cathedral from December 16, while pilgrims and tour groups will be welcomed from February 1, 2025 and after Pentecost. Visitors will be able to tour part of the cathedral’s grounds, including the front square, gardens and south cloister. This is the first step in the plan to fully reopen the cathedral by 2026.

The church will provide a mobile application to support visitors, pilgrims and children. Guidebooks and assistive devices for disabled visitors will also be prepared.

The restored Notre Dame Cathedral can accommodate 2,500 visitors at a time, bringing the total daily visitor count to 40,000 - twice that of the Palace of Versailles and 10,000 more than the Louvre. The combination of historic charm and modern improvements, along with an advanced fire protection system, promises to bring an impressive and safe experience to all visitors.

The public is eager to discover “a haven of beauty, tenderness and comfort as a sign of hope in difficult times,” Archbishop Ulrich said.