Notre-Dame cathedral re-opens today: 5 unique facts you must know about France’s iconic medieval landmark

Paris: France’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral, situated on an island in the River Seine in Paris, is formally reopening its doors on Saturday for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019.

The 12th-century Gothic masterpiece has now been masterfully restored after a fire gutted the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It will be reopened to the public on Sunday following a ceremony on Saturday, which will be attended by a lineup of heads of state and top-level delegates from around the world- a rare moment of unity against the backdrop of global divisions and conflicts.

The restoration is seen as a moment of triumph for French President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious timeline. President-elect Donald Trump, America’s first lady Jill Biden and Britain’s Prince William, along with dozens of state and government and personalities — 1,500 guests in all — will attend the reopening celebration under Notre Dame’s soaring Gothic arches, led by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich.

The reopening of Notre Dame comes at a time of profound global unrest, with wars raging in Ukraine and the Middle East. Notre-Dame has been restored with a new spire and rib vaulting, its flying buttresses and carved stone gargoyles returned to their past glory and the white stone and gold decorations shining brighter than ever.