Macron has opened the towers of Notre Dame, the cathedral returns to its former glory

President Emmanuel Macron climbed the tower of Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral on Friday to officially open the northern and southern parts of the bell tower, which had been closed since the devastating fire in 2019. The towers will be open to the public starting Saturday.

The cathedral itself reopened on December 7, 2024, after five years of renovation, as world leaders gathered in Paris, including Jill Biden, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Volodymyr Zelensky, reports the website ABC News.

The restoration of this iconic monument of Gothic architecture required 1,200 oak trees from French forests and the work of more than a thousand workers.

Before the fire, Notre Dame was one of France's most visited attractions, drawing more than 13 million tourists annually—more than the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre.

Macron emphasized that the reopening of the towers was a symbolic conclusion to efforts to restore the cultural heart of Paris.

(mja)