Notre Dame to reopen next week

Paris, and the whole world, is already preparing to experience the rebirth of one of the world’s most iconic architectural jewels. On 8 December, the public will be able to enter the central church for the first time, coinciding with the eagerly awaited opening ceremony to be held the day before. The inaugural event will be presided over by the Archbishop of Paris and will be attended by a selection of officials, donors and representatives of the city’s main churches. Among the most anticipated attendees will be French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, who have already toured the cathedral this week.

Since the devastating fire that destroyed much of the iconic monument, Notre Dame has undergone a meticulous restoration process, with the aim of restoring it to its original splendour while incorporating design innovation. To this end, the restoration team called in renowned designers such as Guillaume Bardet, Ionna Vautrin and Sylvain Dubuisson, who have been responsible for creating key pieces of liturgical furniture, including the chairs, the reliquary of the Crown of Thorns and other elements such as the chalice, the paten and the monastery. Bardet also designed a censer, a basin, an ewer and a tray, while the celebrated Vincent Dupont-Rougier and Jean-Charles de Castelbajac added their own touches, with the former creating the candelabra and the latter designing the liturgical vestments.

Among the most symbolic moments of the restoration was the restitution of the statue of the Virgin and Child, which miraculously survived the fire and was reinstalled inside the cathedral last month. During the restoration, this historic sculpture was carefully preserved in the church of Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois, then returned to its place of honour in Notre Dame, becoming a symbol of resistance and rebirth for the people of Paris.

The restoration process has not only focused on the liturgical elements, but also on the structure of the building itself. More than 1,300 stones were used to rebuild the walls and vaults, while a total of 8,000 pipes were carefully removed, restored and repositioned throughout the cathedral. As part of this revival, the cathedral has also received three new bells, and a new spire has been erected that once again dominates the Parisian skyline, restoring Notre Dame’s architectural profile to the state that so many remembered.

We chatted for a while with Borja Iglesias to find out about his hobbies and interests beyond the field of play.