On Saturday, December 7, Notre-Dame Cathedral on pair will finally be reopened to the public through a globally broadcast ceremony and subsequent celebratory mass.
The over 800 year old church is that closed for repairs since April 2019, when a fire almost destroyed the building for good, causing the roof and spire to collapse.
After a major 5-year restoration project, the medieval icon once again looks like it did in the fire, although much improved, from the replaced wooden spire topped of a gilded brass rooster to the new dusty bells of the belfry, cleaned frescoes. and stained-glass windows, restored gargoyles, and an interior completely washed of dirt for the first time in centuries.
An astonishing 15 million people are expected to visit the cathedral in its first year. While admission remains free (although the French culture minister has floating the idea to charge an entry fee), a new mobile app and online reservation system is expected to be launched in early December, days before the official reopening of the church.
You don’t have to use the online booking platform to reserve a time for your visit, but otherwise you have to wait in line for up to 3 hours, according to National Geographic.
In the first 6 months after the reopening, only individuals will be allowed to enter Notre-Dame; Tour groups may return in June 2025.
Once inside, you’ll follow a new, self-guided, north-to-south circuit designed to guide you from darkness to light, every Nat Geo. A highlight is the Crown of Thorns (taken from Constantinople by Saint Louis in the 13th century), which is now fully displayed in an elaborate new reliquary.
During the epic transformation, based in Paris Nat Geo Photographer Tomas van Houtryve got exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to the work done on the Gothic monument.
Providing a fascinating, close-up look at the historic project, the photographer’s images featured in the December 2024 issue of National Geographic.
A selection of photographs is made available at Frommer’s. Scroll for a glimpse of Notre-Dame as the church prepares to welcome the world.