This morning, President Macron became the first official visitor to Notre Dame Cathedral since its historic restoration, hailed as a once-in-a-century project. The Cathedral, severely damaged by a fire five years ago, has been meticulously restored, with gleaming white stone and vibrant stained glass windows. A modern Altar, Golden Cross, and newly restored organ with 8,000 cleaned pipes are among the changes. Macron praised the workers and noted the Cathedral’s beauty surpasses its original state. The fire destroyed over 800 years of history, but thanks to the efforts of 2,000 craftsmen, key structures like the wooden ceiling and spire have been rebuilt. The ancient bells rang again earlier this month, and the Virgin Mary's statue was returned in a special ceremony. Visitors will experience a stunning transformation when the Cathedral reopens to the public on December 16, just in time for Christmas.
Vocabulary:
• Once in a century (phrase): Rare event every 100 years.
• Gleaming (adjective): Shining brightly, radiant.
• Sparkling (adjective): Shining with flashes.
• Stained (adjective): Marked or tinted color.
• Obliterating (verb): Completely destroying, wiping out.
• Aftermath (noun): Consequences following an event.
• Wooden (adjective): Made of wood.
• Soaring (verb): Flying or rising high.
• Ceiling (noun): Upper surface of room.
• Steeple (noun): Tall, pointed Church structure.
• Oak beams (noun): Strong wood beams.
• Spire (noun): Tall, pointed building structure.
Source: Today