According to reported the Artnews, the $865 million renovation project was launched in April 2019, but due to lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, archaeological finds under the church's foundation and a controversial modernization plan, the process has been slow.
Initially, the French authorities planned to open the cathedral before the start of the Summer Olympic Games, which will be held in the country in the summer of 2024. However, officials currently call the opening date - the end of 2024.
The restoration of the cathedral began last year, before that the structures were strengthened and the surviving parts of the building were cleaned. It will be possible to observe the construction of the new spire already this year.
A devastating fire in Notre Dame de Paris took place on April 15, 2019. Photo: Philippe Wang/Getty Images
In an interview with the Associated Press, General Jean-Louis Georgelain, responsible for the restoration of the building, said that "the return of the spire to the skyline of Paris ... will be a symbol that we are winning the battle for Notre Dame."
According to him, the biggest difficulty is to follow the plan exactly. "We still have a lot of different work to do: framework, painting, stones, vault, organ, stained glass, etc.," the general added.
See also:
Notre-Dame de Paris: the history of the symbol of the French capital