Square at Notre-Dame cathedral reopened

Paris officials yesterday removed the tall metal barriers surrounding the square in front of the Notre-Dame cathedral, offering visitors a close-up look at the gothic monument for the first time since the devastating fire that struck last year.

“It’s almost a form of rebirth today,” Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, wearing a face mask, said in a short address to journalists while visiting the site with the cathedral’s rector, Patrick Chauvet.

“Notre-Dame is the soul of Paris ... It’s a site that doesn’t fail to impress you,” she said.

The square began to fill up under sunny afternoon skies as word of the unexpected reopening spread. “Notre-Dame is our symbol, more than the Eiffel Tower,” Stephanie Cadillon, a librarian, said.

“We wanted to see how it had changed.”

The monumental facade and arched entrances remain blocked, however, behind beige security barriers as workers prepare to resume restoration work as France’ coronavirus lockdown is lifted.

The plaza was closed off shortly after the blaze on April 15 last year which nearly destroyed the 13th-century church and was watched by millions of people on live TV worldwide.

The fire completely consumed the oak beams and more than 300 tons of lead panelling in the roof, spewing toxic lead particles into the air as they melted.

Heavy concentrations of the metal settled on the square and nearby streets that proved particularly difficult to remove, sparking fears that residents could be exposed to poisoning.

Several schools were closed for weeks as workers decontaminated classrooms and playgrounds, and restoration work was halted after authorities demanded face masks and other protective gear for workers.

But the regional ARS health authority gave its approval on Friday for reopening the site, which will be cleaned regularly as the renovation work slowly resumes.