At exactly 10:30 a.m. on November 8 (4:30 p.m. Vietnam time), the bell began to ring repeatedly in the north bell tower until all eight bells of Notre Dame Cathedral (Paris, France) chimed together, creating a melody that moved listeners.
"I am truly moved to hear the precious bells of Notre Dame Cathedral ringing again. This is a symbol of eternity," said Tony Estanguet, President of the Paris 2024 Olympic Organizing Committee.
Notre Dame Cathedral will reopen on December 7. (Photo: BFMTV)
The eight bells, the heaviest weighing 4 tons named Gabriel and the smallest weighing 800kg named Jean-Marie (named after Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger, Archbishop of Paris from 1981 to 2005), are one of the symbols of Notre Dame Cathedral. In addition to the characteristic ringing sound, the image of the bells always makes a strong impression on visitors.
Paris resident Catherine Grand could not hide her excitement at witnessing this moment: "We have bells that have been preserved since the Middle Ages. So the bells of Notre Dame Cathedral can last 500 or even 1,000 years."
Mr. Philippe Jost, Director in charge of the Notre Dame Cathedral Renovation Project, said that this is an important step, marking the revival of one of the largest cathedrals in the West, recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site, which welcomes millions of tourists every year, especially in the context that the cathedral will reopen in less than 30 days.
"Everything is almost ready, we are on schedule. There are still many workers working at the cathedral. This is normal because they are finishing the restoration of the artworks as well as completing the installation of lighting, sound and video systems," said Philippe Jost.
Today, the spires of Notre Dame Cathedral have been restored to their original, 19th-century Gothic style. The black smoke stains on the windows have disappeared and their original colorful beauty has been replaced. The walls have regained their shine.
However, the major restoration is not yet complete. Part of the lead roof still needs to be completed; statues of the apostles and saints will be reinstalled in the first half of 2025.
Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire on the evening of April 15, 2019. The fire burned for about 15 hours, causing severe damage to the structure. After the fire, a reconstruction project was carried out with a team of about 1,000 artisans and craftsmen from all over France. The total cost of the restoration is estimated at nearly 700 million euros (more than 750 million USD), drawn from 846 million euros in donations from 150 countries.
According to the announcement, Notre Dame Cathedral will reopen on December 7, one day before the first mass and the dedication of the new altar (December 8).
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/tieng-chuong-nha-tho-duc-ba-paris-lai-vang-sau-5-nam-hoa-hoan-ar906382.html
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