French president visits restored Notre Dame following massive fire 5 years ago

ISTANBUL

French President Emmanuel Macron toured the restored Notre Dame Cathedral on Friday, nearly five years after a devastating fire destroyed much of its interior and toppled its iconic spire.

The live-streamed visit offered a glimpse inside the landmark ahead of its reopening next week.

With the reopening scheduled for Dec. 7, Macron’s televised tour offered the first official glimpse inside the 850-year-old Gothic landmark, which has undergone an ambitious restoration.

"Sublime," Macron said, lauding the gleaming pale-colored stones and praising the project’s contributors.

The €700 million (($739.5 million) restoration involved 250 companies and hundreds of artisans who resurrected the 19th-century spire, revitalized stained glass windows, and installed a state-of-the-art fire prevention system.

Macron, accompanied by his wife Brigitte Macron, Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, and other officials, toured key areas of the cathedral, including the nave, choir, and chapel.

The project, completed within Macron’s five-year timeline, has been celebrated as a triumph of craftsmanship and determination.

The cathedral, which previously welcomed 12 million visitors annually, aims to attract 14 to 15 million after reopening. A mass and the consecration of a new altar are planned for Dec. 8, though Pope Francis will not attend.

The restoration was funded by €846 million ($893.7 million) in donations from 150 countries, reflecting global solidarity.

The cause of the 2019 fire remains under investigation, with initial findings pointing to an accidental origin.