French President Emmanuel Macron recently visited the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, entering through the central portal and walking into the nave. During his visit, Macron described the experience as an 'unveiling' and marveled at the 'magnificent continuity' of the cathedral.
The nave, which is the central part of the church where the congregation gathers to pray, prominently features a large gold cross at its top. Macron was able to witness firsthand the damage caused by the 2019 fire and observe the ongoing reconstruction efforts.
The restoration project has focused on rebuilding the vaulted ceilings, which were a key priority due to their collapse during the fire. This marks the fourth time that the nave has undergone reconstruction, with previous efforts dating back to 1182, 1738, and the 19th century under architect Viollet-le-Duc.
Before any restoration work could commence, the cathedral had to be secured to prevent further damage and support the 28 flying buttresses of the nave. The extensive restoration process required over 1,600 tons of scaffolding within the cathedral and utilized more than 1,000 cubic meters of stone for rebuilding the walls.
