The Notre Dame Basilica is in the middle of Paris, quite literally so – it stands on an island in the middle of the river Seine. 

This Catholic cathedral is a place of worship, but it's also a historical site dating back to the Middle Ages. It's a place of worship and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ. And it's attracted pilgrims and people for 800 years. 

Now, French official figures say that between 12 and 14 million people come here annually. It is one of Europe's most celebrated sites – or at least it was before a fire five years ago, which closed the cathedral to the public. Since then, scaffolding has surrounded the church as renovation work is carried out. 

But gradually, the French Gothic architecture has been revealed again – for example, the large flying buttresses that reflect the feat of the 13th century architects in terms of height and slenderness. Usually, flying buttresses have two flights, separated by a support point. But here there's a single flight spanning over the aisles. 

The original building work began in the mid 12th century and carried on for up to 200 years. Modifications were needed in the 18th century, major restorations in the 19th century, and during the last hundred years, it's maintenance work that's kept the cathedral open. 

It's hard to miss the cathedral, standing above the Seine. It's 128 meters long and 48 meters wide. The spire is 96 meters high, the two towers are 69 meters – and to reach the top of them, you have to climb up 387 steps. 

The Notre Dame was closed after a devastating fire that began near the roof after six in the evening on April 15, 2019. Around 400 firefighters hurried to extinguish flames – but soon they, and the rest of the world watching on TV, could only gaze on horrified as the cathedral's wooden spire collapsed. 

By the time the blaze was extinguished, after 15 hours of firefighting, most of the roof was destroyed and the upper walls were severely damaged. Luckily, more extensive damage to the interior was prevented by the vaulted stone ceiling inside the cathedral, which kept debris from the burning roof out of the inside. 

Many works of art and religious relics inside were moved away to safety. Some were damaged by smoke and some of the exterior art has also been destroyed. In 2020, investigators said the fire may have been started by either a cigarette or a short circuit in the electrical system. 

Paying the cost

Rebuilding has not been cheap – even without considering that the French economy has since had to deal with a pandemic, the Ukraine war and increasing domestic political uncertainty. But the cathedral is globally admired, and more than $900 million has been donated from people in 150 countries to rebuild it. 

In October, the French Culture Minister Rashida Dati caused some controversy. She suggested that visitors should pay €5 ($5.29) each to enter the church once it's been reopened, arguing that such a levy could raise up to $80 million to pay for the upkeep of the cathedral. 

Speaking to CGTN outside the cathedral, members of the public were divided as to whether payment should be introduced. 

One American man called the price "very inexpensive – I think that should be twice as much. They've done an amazing job putting this thing back together. I'm sure it costs quite a bit of money to fix this… I would say that it's worth it."

That was echoed by a female tourist who said "I would pay. They are rebuilding, so somehow we need resources to rebuild the church."

Not everybody shared that sentiment, though – for different reasons. One female tourist said "For tourists, it's a cultural thing, so it should be open for everybody" – but one French man insisted "I wouldn't pay, because I will talk with the guy to tell him that I'm not going to visit, but I'm going to pray."

Indeed, some religious groups have expressed dismay at the thought of charging to go into a place of worship – but in a country which devoutly separates church and state, others are fine with the idea. As one French woman put it: "Personally, I don't go to church, so I'm not concerned about it. So I can see it more as a monument and I can understand that we have to pay. It's only €5 – why not?"

While the payment debate continues, the crowds will flock back to Notre Dame this weekend, with almost 40,000 visitors expected every single day. There will be a special mass and several services, and then a reopening program that will run throughout 2025 as this globally renowned destination finally reopens its doors.