Notre Dame Cathedral to reopen 5 years after massive fire

INCLUDING ONE MAN, WHO IS OVER HERE, BUT HAILS FROM OVER THERE. THIS MORNING, THE WORLD ABLE TO ADMIRE THIS ICONIC CATHEDRAL ONCE AGAIN. >> BEAUTIFUL. >> THIS IS FANTASTIC. >> I JUST WISH I COULD GET INSIDE. >> Reporter: YEARS OF DELICATE RESTORATIVE REPAIRS INSIDE AND OLD. THE CENTURIES OLD MONUMENT NOW NEARING COMPLETION. PARTS OF THE MASSIVE SCAFFOLD ARE GONE REPAIRING THE SCARS FROM THE DEVASTATING FIRE. FIVE YEARS AGO, AN INFERNO TORE THROUGH THE CHURCH, CONSUMING 800 YEARS OF HISTORY IN MINUTES. BRINGING THE CATHEDRAL BACK TO ITS FORMER GLORY REQUIRED RARE SKILLS, REMAKING EACH OF ITS FAMOUS WOOD STRUCTURES. AMONG THE FEW FOREIGNERS INVOLVED IN THE EFFORT, HANK SILVER HELPED TO REBUILD THE ROOF MADE BY MEDIEVAL CRAFTSMAN. WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO BE STANDING HERE NOW? >> IT STILL DOESN'T FEEL REAL. IT IS STILL A BIT OF A DREAM, REALLY. >> Reporter: HANK BELONGS TO CARPENTERS WITHOUT BORDERS, A VOLUNTEER GROUP OF WOOD WORK EXPERTS RESTORING HISTORIC STRUCTURING AROUND THE GLOBE. LAST YEAR HE WATCHED OVERWHELMED AS THE TRUSSS HE DRAFTED WERE TRANSPORTED AND LIFTED INTO POSITION. WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO WATCH THAT? >> TO SEE A TRUSS OF THAT SCALE HAND TUNED, FLIES THROUGH SPACE, IT IS A REALLY OUT OF TIME KIND OF EXPERIENCE. >> Reporter: LAST DECEMBER, NBC NEWS GOT A GLANCE INSIDE THE CATHEDRAL, CLIMBING 300 FEET TO SPECTACULAR VIEWS ACROSS PARIS. SO THIS IS THE SPIRE THAT WENT CRASHING DOWN. IN FACT, WE ALL WATCHED IT ALL AROUND THE WORLD. NOW IT CAN BE SEEN ACROSS PARIS AGAIN. WE FIRST MET HANK LAST SUMMER AT A WORKSHOP IN NORMANDY, PAINSTAKINGLY CRAFTING IT. >> IN THE U.S., BEING ABLE TO WORK ON THIS BUILDING WAS JUST THE BIRTH OF THIS TECHNIQUE. IT IS PARTICULARLY MEANINGFUL. >> Reporter: USING REPLICAS OF MEDIEVAL TOOLS, HANK AND HIS COLLEAGUES RE-MADE EACH TRUSS EXACTLY AS THEY WERE MADE. >> WE'VE HAD TO RECREATE ALL THESE INCONSISTENCIES AND DEFORMATIONS THAT ACCRUED OFFER THE CENTUCENTURIES. >> Reporter: THE RECONSTRUCTION EFFORT FIVE YEARS ON NEARING THE FINISH LINE WHILE HANK NOW CALLS FRANCE HOME. THIS INCREDIBLE BUILDING HAS CHANGED YOUR LIFE. >> OH, ABSOLUTELY. >> Reporter: FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, YOU CAN COME HERE AND LOOK AT THIS AND KNOW THAT YOU HAD A PART IN IT. >> I'LL BE DINING OUT ON THIS FOR A WHILE. >> Reporter: YEAH. >> I THINK. >> Reporter: THIS IS THE CITY TO DINE OUT. AND HANK SAYS HE MAY HAVE MAYBE HIDDEN SOME MOMENTOS, MAYBE A SIGNATURE OR TWO INSIDE NOTRE DAME THERE, GUYS. THEY PLAN FOR IT TO REOPEN IN DECEMBER. SO THAT'S WHEN YOU WILL GET

Channel: TODAY

Views: 92,762

Keywords: Al Roker, Entertainment, Food, Health, Hoda Kotb, Home, International News, Money, Natalie Morales, Savannah Gutherie, Sports, Style, Today, Today Show, breaking news, concerts, domestic news, interviews, media, parents, pets, politics, shopping, weather

Id: c4TdrJxyKpY

Length: 3min 41sec (221 seconds)

Published: Mon Apr 15 2024