The word “Merci” (“Thank you”) was projected onto the facade of Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral during the grand reopening ceremony, expressing gratitude for its rescue following the devastating fire five years ago that caused the collapse of the 860-year-old structure.
The cathedral’s bells rang out as Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich struck the doors of Notre Dame three times before symbolically reopening the iconic landmark.
“I stand before you to express the gratitude of the French people to everyone who saved and restored the cathedral,” said French President Emmanuel Macron, adding that through swift renovations, France had achieved the impossible.
Moments earlier, the cathedral bells rang again as Macron welcomed guests, including newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
À nos sapeurs-pompiers et à l'ensemble des forces qui ont sauvé Notre-Dame.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) December 7, 2024
À tous les artisans et aux compagnons qui l’ont rendue plus belle encore.
Aux mécènes et aux généreux donateurs du monde entier.
À tous ceux qui ont permis de tenir la promesse. pic.twitter.com/Ehu2cDbToZ
Also in attendance were the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, a close advisor to Trump’s transition team, as well as France’s wealthiest individual, Bernard Arnault, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and former French Presidents François Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy.
After the reopening ceremony, Macron hosted a dinner at the presidential Élysée Palace for Trump and other heads of state and government, including Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vučević.
Notre Dame has been restored with new spires, silver vaults, and intricately carved stone sculptures, regaining its former glory. The white stone and gold decorations now shine as brightly as ever.
More than five years ago, on April 15, 2019, television viewers around the world watched in horror as flames engulfed the cathedral, toppling its spire and roof.
Thousands of experts—from carpenters and stonemasons to stained glass artists—worked tirelessly for five years, using traditional methods to restore, repair, or replace everything that was destroyed or damaged.
The cornerstone of Notre Dame was laid in 1163, with construction continuing for much of the following century. The cathedral underwent significant restoration and additions during the 17th and 18th centuries.