Notre Dame bells ring again after 4 years for a joyful milestone in view of December reopening.
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For the first time in four years, the bells of Notre Dame Cathedral have rung out across Paris from the Île de la Cité, their familiar chimes wafting across the city. It was a joyful sound that marked one of the major milestones in the restoration of the iconic 850-year-old landmark, which is set to reopen on December 8th.
A Symbolic Return for the Icon of Paris
The last time the bells tolled was in 2020, a year after a devastating fire in 2019 ravaged much of the historic cathedral. Eight rang out on Friday in a technical test-the surest sign yet of progress in the final stages of the cathedral‘s revival. While the fire didn’t destroy the bells and their belfry, they suffered damage that needed more than a year-long restoration.
Hearing the bells ring this morning was incredibly emotional,” said Alexandre Gougeon, who headed their installation. “It‘s the culmination of a huge project,” he told CNN.
New Additions and Old Traditions
Also, the renovation team added three new bells to the northern belfry. Of these, one of the large bells presented by the Paris Olympic Committee has an interesting history–it was rung with a mallet above the Stade de France for major athletic victories such as gold medal victories or where new records were set.
Although the cathedral did not reopen in time for the Paris Olympics, as President Emmanuel Macron had hoped, all major goals of restoration have been met, including rebuilding of the roof, the spire, the bells and the golden cockerel that once sat atop the spire.
Countdown to Completion
The head of the organization overseeing the restoration work, Philippe Jost, congratulated the 2,000 people taking part in the project with a view to reopening on December 8. “We‘re on schedule and confident,” said Jost on radio station RTL. “Every day, the cathedral looks more beautiful.
The bells of Notre Dame ringing again are thus a sound of hope for the citizens of Paris: the result of resilience and a celebration of the imminent return of this iconic cathedral.
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