The iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is getting ready to reopen next month after more than five years of closure.

One of the most famous cathedrals in the world, the city was stunned back in April 2019 when a fire broke out inside Notre Dame, causing major damage and resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in repairs and renovations.

The restoration work was done by the hands of more than 250 contractors, companies, and artisans, whose combined effort has restored Notre Dame to its former glory—and perhaps even beyond.

Visitors Will be “Awestruck”

According to National Geographic, who was given a sneak peek of the renovations, visitors will be “stupefied” and “awestruck” when they visit.

Not because there are any structural changes—everything was restored to exactly how it was before the fire—but because the entire cathedral has been polished all at once.

“…To anyone who has visited before, [the interior] will seem utterly transfigured—brighter than any person alive has ever seen it,” the magazine reported. “Walls, stained glass, paintings, and sculptures have all been cleaned and restored, all at once, for the first time since the 19th century.”

The publication did a deep dive into the major zones that needed to be rebuilt, and explained some of the old-school craftsmanship used to maintain its integrity. Photos of the restoration process show what a complicated process it must have been at times.

A Mass Return of Visitors

Notre Dame officials are expecting 15 million people to visit the church in the coming year, kicking off with a grand re-opening on December 7th.

Because of the amount of people expected to visit the cathedral—estimates are about 40,000 people per day—there are some new systems to be aware of.

Entrance will still be free, and you can still show up and stand in line to await entry.

But now you will also be able to register ahead of time online and reserve a time of entry. This system will launch on the cathedral’s official site sometime before the opening. Once you enter, a new “visitor’s circuit” will direct you to make a loop around the cathedral.

As the interior renovations come to a close, projects to reimagine the cathedrals surroundings will begin next year with hopes of completion by 2027. This will include new landscaping as well as turning a parking garage into a covered promenade.

There will no doubt be a lot of excitement surrounding the reopening of Notre Dame, so bring your patience when you visit. And be sure to remember this advice: The cathedral is a living place, one of worship and reflection and sacred because of its history. Be sure to give it the respect it deserves.