The Notre Dame Cathedral located in Paris, France, is reopening its doors Dec. 8 after being closed since April 2019. After an unknown fire caused the building to go up in flames, the cathedral closed down and reconstruction plans were immediately put into place to restore the cathedral to its original glory. Residents of the town were devastated and said it ‘felt like a nightmare’ to watch their landmark burn down and collapse.
“I loved the beauty of that cathedral since I was a child,” Jennifer Haynes, an architectural enthusiast said. “I was so worried that such a stunningly beautiful historical building could potentially be destroyed.”
The cathedral, originally built in 1163, serves as a symbol of Paris’s economic and intellectual power. Nicknamed ‘Our Lady of Paris’, the cathedral held many historic events such as Joan of Arc’s beatification, Napoleon Bonaparte’s consecration as emperor, and Henry IV’s wedding. Stained glass art, intricate archeology and the echoes of history flow through the bones of the cathedral, acting as a time capsule for Paris.
“I think it’s really pretty,” Teya Faasen, a junior at FHN said. “We really need to make more buildings with those types of designs.”
World leaders such as Pope Francis, former president Barack Obama, and former British prime minister Theresa May expressed their grievances and condolences through visits and online tweets to all those affected indirectly and directly. Nearly one-billion dollars was raised within the first few days of the cathedral catching fire, causing some people to question if all the money donated was really necessary for the construction to be made. But now, after 5 years of construction, the cathedral is set to welcome visitors back this winter.
“I think it’s good [to reopen] and I hope they took plenty of precautionary measures,” Marisa Nelson, a junior of FHN said. “To make sure another fire doesn’t happen again and that the structure of the building is sturdy.”
