Notre Dame had to be restored after a major fire that occurred in April 2019. Then, literally the entire world watched live as the fire engulfed the roof of the cathedral and its high spire collapsed.
Fortunately, the spread of the fire was contained, and the damage, although significant, was not fatal for one of the most famous Catholic churches, founded in the 12th century.
During the restoration work, the roof and spire were restored in the cathedral, and another achievement of the restorers was the cleaning of the vaults, columns and walls of the cathedral from centuries of dirt and soot – the renovated Notre Dame became much brighter inside.
The opening ceremony of the cathedral, organized by French President Emmanuel Macron and Parisian Archbishop Laurent Hullrich, was attended by about 50 world leaders, including US President-elect Donald Trump and Prince William of Wales. Many French public figures and politicians were also present, including former presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande.
The firefighters, rescuers, restorers and builders who extinguished and restored the cathedral were honored participants in the ceremony. Those gathered under the cathedral’s vaults gave them a long ovation, and at that moment the inscription “Thank you” appeared on the facade of Notre Dame in French and other languages.