The famous Paris cathedral returns after 5 years. Admission rules may change
We know the date of the reopening of the famous Notre-Dame Cathedral. Tourists have been waiting for this for five years. It is clear that there are going to be major changes on site.
Everyone has probably heard about the most beautiful cathedral in Paris. Notre-Dame played an important role in many works of art, including: films or literature. It was painted by artists and photographed in thousands of ways, both from the outside and from the inside. After a fire occurred in April 2019, the facility remained closed. The renovations are finally coming to an end. The opening date has been announced.
Opening of Notre-Dame Cathedral
Five years after the closure of Notre-Dame, we finally know when it will welcome tourists. A year ago it was said that the cathedral was to return in the fall of 2024, and now a specific date has been announced. We will cross the walls of the facility on December 8. It turns out that travelers will have a good reason to visit Paris in winter.
The building in question is located in Paris, on an island called Ile de la Cité, located right next to the Seine. To reach it, just take a walk along the boulevards to the Eiffel Tower, or you can use the metro and line number 4 and get off at the Cité or Saint-Michel stop or at Saint-Michel – Notre-Dame – if you take the RER urban railway . For at least the next year you have to be prepared for huge crowds on site. The cathedral was once visited by up to thirteen million people a year. After a five-year break, there will certainly be no shortage of interested parties.
Admission may be charged
After the opening of the cathedral on December 8, we can notice a fundamental change on site. Entrance to the facility will partially be charged. At this time, it has been announced that general seat reservations can be made free of charge, but access to the Treasury, a separate area containing liturgical and historical items, will require a ticket. Later, you will probably also have to pay for entry.
“Charging entrance fees to Notre-Dame would save all churches in France,” commented Culture Minister Rachida Dati. She revealed that the proposed rate would be EUR 5 per person and that there would be no need to pay only for access to religious ceremonies.
The opening of Notre-Dame itself is supposed to be very elegant. Visitors can expect a series of ceremonies that will take place throughout the week. The first mass commemorating the historic event is planned for Sunday. Later, such celebrations are to be held regularly until June 2025.
Visitors will see the Gothic style, the spire restored by Viollet-le-Duca, the roof of the main nave and the choir. There will be three different tour routes on offer, each of which will allow visitors to discover different aspects of the cathedral, from religious heritage to works of art. Guided tours and group access will be available from June 2025.
