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PARIS – As the Notre Dame Cathedral nears the one-year anniversary of its grand reopening after the April 2019 fire that devastated it, tourists and worshipers alike are once again embracing the historic landmark.
The cathedral is projected to receive over 12 million visitors by the end of this year — with some predictions as high as an unprecedented 15 million visitors.
The Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris, a nonprofit founded in 2017, has led international fundraising efforts to rebuild and restore the cathedral. Michel Picaud, president of the group, told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview the cathedral reached eight million visitors for the year by August.
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“We are certainly the most visited monument and cathedral in France,” said Picaud.
“We expect to have 12 million visitors this year. So it’s typically a very high level of visits, and we are very happy [about] that.”
On April 15, 2019, a fire caused the collapse of the cathedral’s roof and part of its exterior; the fire also destroyed the interior.
The cathedral dates back to the 12th century. Construction began in 1163 and took nearly 200 years to fully complete. “Modified in the 18th century and restored in the 19th century, it is the symbol of Christian worship in Paris through the centuries,” notes the cathedral’s website. The structure measures approximately 420 feet long and 157 feet wide.
“In the interior of the cathedral, we had to replace what had been destroyed in the fire,” said Picaud.
“So, typically, the liturgical furnishing — you have a new altar, for instance, a new baptismal font. You have a reliquary of the crown of thorns of Christ, also, and new seating. This is what’s new.”
He said the next phase of the restoration will last four years, and will address the exterior.
“[It] will restore the exterior of the cathedral below roof level, especially the magnificent flying buttresses, the gargoyles and the grotesques — all that makes the exterior of Notre-Dame wonderful,” he said.
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New stained-glass windows will also be installed, he said.
Picaud said the cathedral welcomes both believers and visitors, and hosts religious services throughout each day.
“We adjust the number of people entering the cathedral, depending on [whether] we have a service [in progress] or not, but I think this is now quite easy,” he said.
The circuit visit of the tower reopened in September, with visitors able to climb 424 steps to the top.
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The tower reaches 226 feet tall, with a spire reaching 315 feet high, according to Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris.
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Picaud said it offers a “wonderful view of Paris.”
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