Reopening Notre-Dame in 2024 is a “tense target” | Abroad

Just over three years ago, a massive fire destroyed Notre Dame. The cathedral should reopen in 2024, according to the presidential promise to rebuild the cathedral within five years. “We will fight to win this battle and be able to open for worship in 2024. By then, Notre-Dame will have been completely refurbished to such an extent that visitors will experience a visual shock as they enter,” Georgelin promises in this interview.

Georgelin admits that there are always dangers and difficulties on a construction site. “But until now, we’ve always found ways to adapt, to move forward and to listen to the indicators when they turn orange,” he adds.

Since April 15, 2019, more than 846 million euros has been raised by 340,000 patrons and donors from 150 countries. Until August 2021, a first phase of the work consisted of consolidating and securing the building. The work has already cost about 150 million euros.

“We need EUR 550 million to clean the interior of the cathedral, including the great organ, restore the masonry and vaults damaged by the fire, rebuild the frames, roofs and spire and renew technical equipment,” said Georgelin. He indicates that this figure takes into account the expected inflation. “Like the other construction sites, we are currently experiencing some pressure on prices,” he adds.

After this work, 146 million euros should remain for the restoration of the exterior. “The content of the future program of outdoor works and the timetable for it still needs to be discussed with the sponsors, foundations and of course the Ministry of Culture,” said Georgelin.

Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak is expected to visit the site “in the coming days”, her entourage told AFP.

The fire at Notre-Dame – the causes of which have not yet been determined with certainty – had collapsed the skeleton, spire, clock and part of the vault, which had been destroyed by the flames.