Notre Dame crypt, parts of its square might reopen soon

Notre Dame’s crypt and parts of the cathedral’s plaza might reopen this spring after last year’s fire outbreak gutted one of the world’s most famous cathedrals. The same has been announced by Karen Taïeb, a deputy mayor. It has been almost a year of the massive fire outbreak that wreaked havoc on the 850-year-old structure, completely gutting its roof and weakening the heritage building.

Read more: Notre Dame in flames, history at stake

The world reeled in disbelief as the news of fire spread last year, historians and enthusiasts mourning the loss. The cathedral has stayed shut since then, amidst fear of lead contamination from its gutted roof and spire. Back then, French President Emmanuel Macron had vowed to reopen the cathedral in five years.

Read more: French President promises to restore Notre Dame in five years
Karen Taïeb, who is in charge of the historical monuments in Paris, has announced that the crypt, which houses an underground museum at the cathedral, is likely to reopen in March once it is assured that there are no chances lead contamination or related pollution. She also divulged that the concerned authorities have been doing regular lead checks to ensure safety.

It has also been reported that efforts are on to remove the damaged scaffolding in the coming month, which will hasten the measures to reopen the famous cathedral to the public. Paris’ Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire has also stated that workers will have to remove lead traces before any part of the cathedral is reopened.

It should be noted that reopening of the Notre Dame has been delayed a number of times, mainly because removal of lead traces employs techniques that are dependent on weather.