A 12 months after reopening to the general public, Notre-Dame cathedral has drawn greater than 11 million guests, flocking to admire its restored pale stone and minimalist furnishings after the 2019 blaze that devastated the Paris landmark.
The cathedral was reopened on December seventh, 2024, after greater than 5 years of renovation work, within the presence of heads of state, together with French President Emmanuel Macron and US president-elect Donald Trump.
Notre-Dame has welcomed “roughly 11 million guests” since reopening, about 30 % greater than earlier than the hearth, mentioned Sybille Bellamy-Brown, head of customer administration on the cathedral.
In comparability, the Louvre museum in Paris welcomed 8.7 million guests final 12 months and 7 million vacationers pay to see the Eiffel Tower annually.
Colombian vacationer Maria Vega couldn’t think about visiting Paris with out seeing the long-lasting cathedral.
“It’s notably vital for me since I’ve not too long ago reconnected with the church,” the 22-year-old mentioned, marvelling on the restoration.
“The magnificence and ease are putting.”
The cathedral has surpassed its annual attendance ranges of an estimated eight to 9 million individuals earlier than the hearth on April fifteenth, 2019, which tore by means of the roof and framework of the masterpiece of Twelfth-century Gothic artwork.
Since reopening after a colossal renovation challenge funded by €843 million in donations, the location attracts strains of individuals stretching throughout the cathedral forecourt.
Individuals can nonetheless enter free of charge with out reservations, however confronted with the inflow, Notre-Dame has sought to “regulate” entries, notably throughout companies.
More than 1,600 companies are to be held this 12 months and the cathedral has seen a increase in pilgrimages, with over 650, a 3rd of them from overseas.
The cathedral’s towers reopened in September, and guests should pay to entry these.
While €140 million stay from donations, extra is  wanted to finish the restoration of the constructing — already in poor situation earlier than the hearth, based on the Rebuilding Notre-Dame de Paris public physique.
