Notre Dame towers reopen six years after fire

French President Emmanuel Macron officially reopened the Parisian cathedral’s north and south towers about six years after they were nearly destroyed in a fire. Macron on Friday released a video showing what it was like to walk into the belfry while the bells chimed. More than 2,000 artisans from across France brought its splendor back to life, once again giving visitors spectacular views of Paris, he wrote. A fire swept the 12th-century cathedral in April 2019, burning its vaulted roof and causing a spire to collapse. Many of the church’s items were saved, including the 18th-century steles, pietas, frescoes, chapels, and the big organ, according to church officials.

Wasn’t the cathedral already reopened? Yes, the cathedral building formally reopened last December, with a high-profile ceremony attended by then-first lady Jill Biden, President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and William, Prince of Wales. However, the Gothic cathedrals’ towers remained closed until Friday.

Cathedral officials described the newly opened towers as architectural masterpieces, as well as symbols of faith. They are two beacons raised toward God, holding the bells that call prayer, and serving as a reminder of the church’s presence in the heart of the city, according to a Friday post from the cathedral. The towers invoke the Old and New Testaments, the hope of resurrection, and that light emerges from darkness, the statement said.

How did the fire start? Despite years of investigation, officials remain unsure how the fire started. Investigators considered a swath of theories, including human intervention, but much analysis pointed to the fire being accidental, French prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in a 2024 interview on the case. Investigators initially suspected an electrical short-circuit. 

Dig deeper: Read Lauren Canterberry’s report for more about the cathedral building’s reopening last year.