The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is set to reopen to visitors beginning Dec. 8, more than five years after an accidental fire destroyed the roof's iconic 12th-century spires and interior.
Visited by more than 12 million people a year before the fire, the Notre Dame Cathedral had not had major repairs since the mid-1800s, according to the nonprofit Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris.
Reconstruction began in 2022 after a two-year "safety phase" to get the monument stable enough for workers. The restoration project raised $1 billion in pledged donations, with around $148 million remaining for future preservation, as of this month.
Here's a timeline of the repairs to restore the 861-year-old Gotchic-era landmark to its beauty.
Fire breaks out at Notre Dame Cathedral
Smoke billows as flames burn through the roof of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral on April 15, 2019, in the French capital Paris. (Fabien Barrau/AFP via Getty Images)
April 15, 2019: A fire erupted in the upper part of the cathedral, causing extensive damage to the wooden roof, upper walls and wooden spires. Many of the art and religious artifacts were moved to safety, though some suffered smoke damage.
Officials at the time said the exact cause of the fire was unknown, but they believed either a short electrical circuit or a cigarette could have sparked the flames.
Its stained-glass windows were spared, and no one died.
April 17, 2019: French President Emmanuel........