Scaffolding surrounding the Paris tourist attraction was removed on Tuesday to commemorate a milestone in the restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral.
Scaffolding from the medieval Catholic cathedral has been removed in recent days, revealing the cathedral’s new spire, decorated with a golden rooster and cross, for the first time.
Frederico Bennani, a resident near the cathedral, told The Associated Press that he became emotional when he saw the new spire.
“I can open the window in the morning and I can see Notre Dame Cathedral. I can see the spire. It’s beautiful to me and it’s much better than before,” Bennani said. “It gives us hope.”
Experts claim that the destruction of Notre Dame Cathedral was “supposed to happen” after years of neglect and lack of maintenance.
A new golden rooster is seen on top of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral on February 13, 2024 in Paris, France. (Chesnot/Getty Images)
The famous Viollet-le-Duc spire structure, which was destroyed by fire in April 2019, was rebuilt in a similar manner. (Chesnot/Getty Images)
This iconic structure was destroyed by fire in April 2019, leaving it in severe disrepair. The new spire is the latest milestone in the restoration of the cathedral’s former glory.
As a symbol of resilience and rebirth, a new golden rooster reimagined as a phoenix with fiery wings was installed atop the spire in December, marking the cathedral’s rise from the ashes.
Other restoration efforts include installing a fireproof mist system under the cathedral’s roof and recreating the original cross.
Scaffolding around the spire of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, which shows a rooster and a cross, is being removed in Paris, Monday, February 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Notre Dame Cathedral is scheduled to reopen in December 2024 after a devastating fire in April 2019. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Renovations at Notre Dame Cathedral are progressing well and are scheduled to reopen in December 2024.
The cathedral will be closed to the public during the Paris Olympics in July and August, when millions of people flock to Paris for the Summer Olympics.
Notre Dame Cathedral’s new spire will be shaped like a golden rooster and cross, like a phoenix rising from the flames of 2019’s devastating fires, it has been revealed. (Li Yang/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images))
Much of the cathedral remains surrounded by scaffolding, and removal could take weeks, if not months.
Notre Dame’s golden altar cross glistens as footage emerges from inside fire-ravaged cathedral
According to cathedral officials, the spire alone was protected by around 70,000 scaffoldings weighing 600 tons.
clock:
Once a major tourist attraction, the restoration of this broken monument came after a devastating fire destroyed the building’s main spire.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
French President Emmanuel Macron has set a five-year target for the restoration work on Notre Dame Cathedral to be completed, before France hosts the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Estimates for repair costs ranged from about $1.13 billion to $2.3 billion.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
