The restored Notre-Dame Cathedral will open in 2024, promised the minister

Paris – The Paris Cathedral of Notre-Dame will reopen to believers and the public in 2024. This was announced today by French Minister of Culture Rima Abdul-Malak during a visit to the construction site, as reported by BFM TV. The 12th-century church was heavily damaged by a fire in April 2019.

"Construction is progressing rapidly, in line with the schedule. We believe that 2024 will be the year when most work will be completed and the year the cathedral will open for worship and to the public," the minister said.

However, Abdul-Malak admitted that reconstruction would not be fully completed by the time of reopening. The exact date of the opening is also not yet clear. "The year has 365 days, after all," the minister told reporters.

Repairs have been slowed by complications during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the need to clear the area of toxic lead dust released during the fire. Repair of the roof structure and vaults is expected to begin by the end of summer.

The renovation is overseen by a special state organization established for this purpose, led by General Jean-Louis Georgelin. Last week, in an interview with Le Figaro, he stated that the ambition to open in 2024 is "tight and complicated."

President Emmanuel Macron already promised the repair by 2024 during a visit to the burned cathedral in April 2021.

The world-famous architectural and religious monument in the heart of Paris was engulfed in flames on April 15, 2019. The fire spread through the roof and consumed large parts of the medieval structure. The cause of the fire has yet to be fully determined. It may have been caused by an electrical fault or a cigarette butt. The landmark, protected by UNESCO and famous from Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, attracted around 13 million visitors annually before the fire. A film about the fire has also been made.