PARIS — Paris’ Notre-Dame Cathedral will reopen on Dec 7, five and a half years after a devastating fire destroyed its roof and spire and caused major damage throughout.

Here is what you need to know:

What is Notre-Dame? 

A medieval Gothic masterpiece, Notre-Dame de Paris (Our Lady of Paris) is one of the French capital’s most beloved and visited monuments.

Its rib vaulting, flying buttresses, stunning stained-glass windows and carved stone gargoyles have long been celebrated in books and movies.

The first stone was laid in 1163, and construction continued for much of the next century, with major restoration and additions made in the 17th and 18th century.

Victor Hugo used the cathedral as a setting for his 1831 novel, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.

Quasimodo, the main character, has been portrayed by Hollywood actors including Charles Laughton and also in an animated Disney adaptation.

Why and how did it burn?

On the evening of April 15, 2019, the cathedral’s roof burst into flames. Soon, the fire had engulfed the spire and almost toppled the main bell towers.

Around the world, TV viewers watched with horror as the medieval building burned.

The roof collapsed but the bell towers and facade held.

It remains unclear what exactly caused the fire. French authorities have said an electrical fault or a burning cigarette may have been responsible.

What will happen at the opening ceremony?

President Emmanuel Macron will give a speech in front of the cathedral on Saturday, Dec 7, around 6 pm after which Paris’ Archbishop Laurent Ulrich will use his crosier to knock on the cathedral’s heavy doors.

From within the cathedral, a psalm will be sung three times in response to the knocking, after which the doors will open.

The archbishop will bless the cathedral’s ancient organ before it starts playing. This will be followed by a service.

The guest-list for the reopening ceremony has not yet been published, but one source familiar with the planning said US President Joe Biden’s wife Jill would come, while President-elect Donald Trump had not yet confirmed his attendance.

First mass on Sunday, Dec 8

The archbishop will celebrate a Mass, starting at 10.30 am, the first of eight days of Masses devoted to the reopening and focused on thanking, among others, donors who paid for the renovations and firefighters who helped save it.

Some of the Masses, including on the evening of Dec 8, at 6.30 pm, will be open to the public.

When can you visit?

If you’re lucky, you can visit on the evening of Dec 8 from 5.30 pm to 8 pm but there is at first likely to be fierce competition — and long queues — to visit the cathedral.

The cathedral says that from early December, visitors will be able to book a free ticket online, on its website, social media or a dedicated app, to get into the building on the same day or one or two days after booking.

There will also be a queue on the spot for those who want to enter without a booking.

Groups will only get access next year — from Feb 1 for religious groups or from June 9th for tourists with guides.

The cathedral expects to welcome 14 to 15 million visitors every year. There is a huge debate in France over whether visitors should pay to get in.

The Church is against it, and for now visiting remains free.

How was the cathedral rebuilt?

Money poured in from all over the world, including from French luxury sector billionaires Francois Henri Pinault and the Arnault family.

So much money has been donated — more than 840 million euros (S$1.19 billion), according to Macron’s office — that there will even be funds left over for further investment in the building.

The damage has needed five years’ worth of restoration work.

What has changed?

Officials say the cathedral will be more beautiful than ever, not only because its spire, roof and anything else destroyed by the fire was rebuilt by thousands of expert craftspeople, but also because the stone and paintings, which had blackened over the years, have been thoroughly cleaned.

The furniture was also renovated and cleaned, or replaced.

Not everything was damaged in the fire. For instance, emergency workers formed a human chain to whisk gem-studded chalices and other priceless artefacts out of harm’s way.

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