In order to better manage the influx of visitors expected for the reopening of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, the Diocese of Paris is introducing online reservations. However, as the diocese announces on its website, visits are still free of charge.
Reservations months in advance are not possible, but only a few days before visiting the famous church, which was largely destroyed in a major fire in April 2019.
Notre-Dame has more visitors than the Eiffel Tower
The Paris diocese (the term, like bishopric, stands for an ecclesiastical administrative district) expects 15 million visitors annually when it reopens on December 8 – compared to 10 million before the devastating fire.
In comparison, the Eiffel Tower counted around 6.3 million visitors in 2023, the Louvre around 8.9 million.
Tens of thousands expected every day
Sybille Bellamy-Brown, Notre Dame’s public management manager, said that 40,000 people are expected to attend every day. Online reservations are therefore strongly recommended.
The restoration work is not yet completely finished and will continue after the reopening of the Gothic building.
According to the diocese, construction work on the flying buttresses will take another four to five years, and work on the square around the cathedral will take at least another three years.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240909-930-227673/1
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