French President Emmanuel Macron will visit renovation works at Paris’ Notre-Dame cathedral on Friday ahead of its reopening on Dec. 7, five and a half years after a devastating fire destroyed its roof and spire and caused major damage throughout.

Axar.az reports that citing Reuters, President Emmanuel Macron will give a speech in front of the cathedral on Saturday, Dec. 7, around 6 p.m. (1700 GMT) after which Paris’ Archbishop Laurent Ulrich will use his crosier to knock on the cathedral’s heavy doors.

A medieval Gothic masterpiece, Notre-Dame de Paris (Our Lady of Paris) is one of the French capital’s most beloved and visited monuments.The first stone was laid in 1163, and construction continued for much of the next century, with major restoration and additions made in the 17th and 18th century.

On the evening of April 15, 2019, the cathedral’s roof burst into flames. Soon, the fire had engulfed the spire and almost toppled the main bell towers.It remains unclear what exactly caused the fire. French authorities have said an electrical fault or a burning cigarette may have been responsible.