The French president, Emmanuel Macron, climbed this Friday to the top of the scaffolding of the Notre Dame cathedral, 96 meters above Paris, to admire the reconstructed date, which was completely destroyed, along with the entire roof, in the fire of the April 15, 2019.
Macron's visit, accompanied by a group of workers and engineers, represents a political success because it means that the deadlines set to recover the most iconic temple in France are being met. The cathedral is due to officially reopen in December next year.
After much debate, the arrow has been reconstructed following the original model by Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century. Other ideas such as a futuristic arrow made of glass were discarded. It was preferred to respect Notre Dame as it was and not carry out experiments.
The works on the cathedral, financed almost entirely by donations from all over the world, went through difficult periods, especially during the pandemic. Workers had to carry out cumbersome decontamination procedures, given the large presence of lead on the site.
After descending from the scaffolding, Macron was "moved" by "the extraordinary progress" of the project. The President of the Republic took an important risk, just after the fire, by promising that the reconstruction would be completed in five years, coinciding with the Paris Olympic Games in 2024. If there are no setbacks, the calendar will be respected, although the opening to the public will take place a few months after the sporting event.
At the top of the arrow, Macron helped with a punch to engrave on the wood the name of General Jean-Louis Georgelin, who was in charge of the reconstruction entity and died last August, tragically, during an accident while carrying out an excursion through the Pyrenees.
