Marking a milestone in the Notre Dame Cathedral’s renaissance, the scaffolding surrounding the Paris attraction was removed on Tuesday.
The medieval Catholic cathedral’s scaffolding has been taken down in recent days, revealing the cathedral’s new spire for the first time, which is adorned with a golden rooster and a cross.
A resident near the cathedral, Frederico Benani, told the Associated Press that he felt emotional at the sight of the new spire.
“I can open the window in the morning. I see Notre Dame. I see the spire — it’s for me, beautiful, and it’s much better (than) before,” Benani said. “It gives us hope.”
The iconic structure was ravaged by fire in April 2019, leaving it in severe disrepair.
The new spire is the latest milestone in the restoration of the cathedral’s former glory.
In a symbol of resilience and renewal, a new golden rooster, reimagined as a phoenix with flaming feathers, was installed atop the spire in December, marking the cathedral’s rise from the ashes.
Other restoration efforts include the implementation of an anti-fire misting system beneath the cathedral’s roof and the recreation of the original cross.
Notre Dame is on track in its renovation process and is expected to reopen in Dec. 2024.
The cathedral will not be open to the public during the Paris Olympics in July and August, when the city will host millions for the Summer Games.
Much of the cathedral remains surrounded by scaffolding, which could take weeks if not months to remove.
The spire alone, cathedral officials said, was protected by some 70,000 pieces of scaffolding, totaling a dizzying 600 tons.
The restoration of the crippled monument, once a major tourist attraction, came after a devastating fire caused the collapse of the structure’s main spire.
French President Emmanuel Macron set a target of five years – which will be when France is set to host the 2024 Summer Olympics – for the completion of Notre Dame restoration efforts.
Cost estimates of the repairs came to around $1.13 billion to $2.3 billion.
