Notre-Dame, five years after the flames: A symbol of resilience • FRANCE 24 English
Exactly five years ago, the world watched in horror as Paris's Notre-Dame Cathedral was ravaged by flames. Today, carpenters and artisans are hammering away to meet a December 8 deadline for the Gothic landmark's grand reopening. Spectators attending the Paris Olympics this summer will already be able to admire the renovated structure from the outside. Meanwhile, life has resumed on the Île de la Cité, the island that's home to Notre-Dame in the historical heart of the French capital. The square in front of the cathedral and its surroundings are even set for a makeover. FRANCE 24's team went to meet local residents.
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The tears shed 5 years ago are, by this work in progress, redeemed. It brightens and inspires my heart to have watched her gradually re-emerge from the ashes.
Bravo to France, and to all of those responsible for saving this beautiful lady and bringing her back from the brink, from the firefighters that risked their lives to save hers, to the artisans and craftspeople who came to help. Thank you.
It's a privilege and a joy to see Notre-Dame re-emerge from the fire of 2019, restored and stronger than before. It will be ten years this summer since our family visited Paris and Notre-Dame, I hope we return sometime next year to see it again.
I'm a Christian that does not spend much time in churches. I've been through some of the big cathedrals that were amazing but did not fill me with any 'belonging'. The cathedral on the Island of Iona was different: no one there but me, it felt like a nest. But twice I have been to Notre Dame, once with ordinary Parisians coming and going in prayer (and the tourists), and the other time more formal with a man and woman in song that was breathtaking. Both times, with Joan of Arc standing in the wing I felt such a belonging in this church of the people. I could pray letting myself go in a place where I felt we were all at home. That is the special place of Notre Dame to me. I felt like I was burning when Notre Dame was on fire. Now I am ecstatic that it is reconstructed so beautifully. One more time I need to feel her surround me.
This fire was another episode in my burnout. It turned my whole life upside down. I'm not even christian. I'm not even from France or Paris. But this was the lowest point in my burnout. A few months of apathy and deep depression later I became homeless. I went on a hiking trip from Belgium to Paris. I even tried to work there on Notre Dame, as a jack of all trades. But being a homeless burnout isn't easy. I was living in a tent in the woods near Paris. Protests and strikes were everywhere. I only spoke halfway French and still tried for one and a half month to achieve something. I was struggling to survive. It just wasn't going to work out there. So I got back to the Netherlands. Emaciated. Totally exhausted. I went into a homeless shelter for a year. There I've drawn every side of Notre Dame, stone by stone. And I've taken this as an example to rebuild my own life. I found a new home, I can grow old there. I got some well deserved rest. Next year I'm done with the debts. My burnout and CPTSD became managable. And next year maybe I go back to my old job. Still sad I couldn't come to help there. That would have been awesome. But I'm forever glad I tried.
Thank you FRANCE 24 English for your reporting on this magnificent place and its progress on restoration! ♥
I visited there on March 26, 2019 with my US and World history classmates in high school for spring break. I remember my teacher during passing time telling me about it 2 weeks after coming back to the USA. It’s gonna be crazy once people look back in the next few hundred years and realize this is just part of the long history it has
Notre Dame was burning now restored
Of course there was no question that the cathedral would be restored to exactly as it looked before the disastrous fire in spite of some vacuum heads calling for a modernist spire etc. So pleased that the booksellers stalls will not be moved, such an iconic sight unlike the tourist trash shops that have sprung up over the past few decades.
Very sad but glad they are rebuilding, shame I could not see it’s completed form last year when I visited. But maybe next year
It is really fitting that on 'World Art Day' we witness one of the most iconic buildings in the world rise from the ashes. What a 'feel good' story for the people of Paris. Pity that we could not say the same for the displaced in Dafur.
Perhaps rich arab states can do something for a change.
@@--jan-- Tell that to the Palestinians.
Thankfully, they didn't go for some modern concrete-glass-steel replacement, a parking lot, penthouse, or swimming pool. I'm all for reconstruction of architectural achievements, as long as they're not just promotional gimmicks with brief novelty value.
They are FRENCH, not moronic Americans.
All that effort for a building but cannot stop a rubber boat.
Glad the lovely French woman could find a seat in the St. Germain church.
Christ be praised ☦
Just ONE RULE: "Ne fumez pas!!" No worker should ever again be smoking as he works in such buildings. Centuries of dust, a puff of wind, a selfish smoker, and centuries of history are gone. But asking a Frenchman not to smoke, they say "YOU are the problem, not my beautiful cigarettes".
Banksiasong. Yes. Asking a frenchman not to smoke is like asking an American not to shout (instead of speaking) in public places.
Today, as the result of investigations made, all evidences say a story with electrical issues and no evidence for cigarette putting fire in the "forest"'. Sorry, an other failed myth.😇
Bravo! Well done Macron. 👏🏼👏🏼