Notre-Dame reopens as Trump, Musk grace historic cathedral in Paris
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed world leaders and other well-wishers to mark the restoration of Notre-Dame in Paris, following the 2019, which razed the 860-year-old cathedral.
“I stand before you to express the gratitude of the French nation, our gratitude to all those who saved, helped and rebuilt the cathedral,” Mr Macron said at the grand reopening on Saturday. “Tonight we can together share joy and pride. Long live Notre-Dame de Paris, long live the Republic and long live France,”
A government statement said the premises will open to general guests starting Sunday.
The prominent guest list included President-elect Donald Trump, First Lady Jill Biden, Britain’s Prince William, and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Tesla and SpaceX billionaire Elon Musk, a close adviser in Mr Trump’s transition team, also attended, alongside Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and former French presidents François Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy.
The world-revered French cathedral has been carefully restored with a new spire and rib vaulting, alongside carved stone gargoyles, which have been replaced.
An embattled Mr Macron saw getting Mr Trump to attend the event with a meeting with Mr Zelensky at the Élysée Palace before the reopening ceremony as a mild political success as he faces a crisis at home after parliament ousted his prime minister in a vote of no confidence.
Mr Trump shook hands with Prince William and other world leaders while walking to the cathedral’s front row, where he sat next to Mr Macron.
The evening concert featured Pharrell Williams, Angélique Kidjo, Yo-Yo Ma, Lang Lang and Khatia Buniatishvili. Guests were also entertained by organist Olivier Latry, violinists Renaud Capuçon and Daniel Lozakovich, opera stars Nadine Sierra, Pretty Yende and Benjamin Bernheim, and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel.
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