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For Paris tour guides, the 800-year-old cathedral is still a popular destination, even though no one can go inside.
PARIS, France — Of all the places that tour guides like Annie Cherouvrier take people in Paris, Notre Dame is still one of the most popular, even after a fire destroyed the roof and spires and shocked the world.
“There’s no roof now,” Cherouvrier said. “We remember when the spire fell. It was dramatic.”
The medieval monument was ravaged by a fire in 2019, which almost destroyed the more than 800-year-old Parisian landmark. Since then, the city has worked to gradually repair and rebuild the historic cathedral – a journey full of challenges and delays. Damages from the blaze included a collapsed roof and spire as well as a destroyed interior.
Five years later, the cathedral still draws a big crowd, even if you can’t go inside. But from outside, people can see the restoration with a wall of photographs that document the historic work being done.
“How it is restored, how stain glass and stone inside is cleaned, how they select the wood to make timbers,” Cherouvrier said.
While scaffolding has surrounded the structure for years, progress is being made. Just before the Summer Olympics in Paris, some scaffolding came down and the famous golden rooster is sitting once again on a new spire that symbolizes Notre Dame’s rebirth.
The restoration is slated for completion by the end of 2024.
During the Summer Games, Cherouvrier said, the world will see Notre Dame’s rise from the ashes, “and go back with good memories of Paris.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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