It is a powerful symbol in the rebuilding of Notre Dame Paris. On a sunny Saturday afternoon, the rooster regained his place at the top, four and a half years after the fire of this emblematic monument to Paris.
The ancient rooster, dating back to 1859, was severely damaged during the fire that broke out on April 15, 2019. It is on display in the City of Architecture and Heritage, the Minister of Culture said on Sunday, hailing this “crucial phase of construction” as the site and symbol of the cathedral’s Renaissance.
“The cathedral can rise from its ashes like a phoenix.”
The new rooster, which was placed at the top of the tower at a height of 96 metres, was Designed by the chief architect of French historical monuments, Philippe Villeneuve. For the latter, this rooster “with wings of fire” reminds “that a cathedral can rise from its ashes like a phoenix.”
Before this crane trip, it was gallinaceous Al-Dhahabi was blessed on the ground by the Archbishop of Paris, Monsignor Laurent Ulrich. In Christianity, it symbolizes the return of light after night.
The bird, which is also one of the emblems of France, contains a sealed cover bearing the names of nearly 2,000 people who participated in rebuilding the cathedral. It also contains preserved relics of fire, which is valuable to Catholics.
Reopening is scheduled for December 8, 2024
December was a crucial month for progress on the Notre Dame construction site. On 6 December, the cathedral found its cross installed atop its tower, whose silhouette could be seen behind the scaffolding. On December 8, President Emmanuel Macron went there accompanied by his wife Brigitte, a year to the day before the reopening of the cathedral, to which he intends to invite Pope Francis.
When it reopens, Notre-Dame de Paris should be able to receive 14 million visitors, two million more than before the fire.
