In Pictures

Inside Notre Dame: Rubble, emptiness and an immense task ahead

A tour of the the 850-year-old Gothic cathedral whose roof and steeple were destroyed in the April 15 inferno.

The rosette is seen during preliminary work in the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral three months after a major fire on July 17, 2019 in Paris. French MPs on July 16 approved a law on the reconstruction o — The rosette is seen during preliminary work in the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral three months after a major fire. [Stephane De Sakutin/Pool/AFP]

Three months after a fire ravaged Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, a rare glimpse inside the burned masterpiece revealed it to be eerily empty and with rubble still littering the nave.

On Wednesday, journalists were given access to the 850-year-old World Heritage landmark.

Just three months ago, it would have been packed with worshippers and tourists admiring the Gothic architecture and famed stained-glass windows, which emerged largely unscathed from the inferno.

On Wednesday, instead of crowds, only a few dozen specialist workers wearing white protective overalls, hard hats and masks could be seen carrying out painstaking work to make the building safe.

Great protective nets have been hung to prevent objects falling from the roof and causing damage, and staff must guard against lead poisoning because of the contamination caused by the old melted roof.

An acrid smell still hangs in the air, while rows of untouched seats at the front of the cathedral are a reminder of what it looked like before the blaze, whose origins are still unknown.

The visit came a day after the French parliament finally passed a law on the reconstruction of the cathedral, which President Emmanuel Macron wants completed within the next five years.

The restoration work, which has not begun yet, will require replacing the roof, much of which was destroyed in the fire, and the spire, which collapsed to the ground.

A picture shows damage on the nave and rubble during preliminary work in the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral three months after a major fire on July 17, 2019 in Paris. French MPs on July 16 approved a l — Damage is visible on the nave and rubble during preliminary work in the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral. [Stephane De Sakutin/Pool/AFP]

Parts of a destroyed ribbed vault and scaffolding are seen during preliminary work in the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral three months after a major fire on July 17, 2019 in Paris. French MPs on July 16 — Parts of a destroyed ribbed vault and scaffolding are seen in the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral. [Stephane De Sakutin/Pool/AFP]

The building''s buttress is pictured during preliminary work on top of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral three months after a major fire on July 17, 2019 in Paris. French MPs on July 16 approved a law — The building's buttress is pictured during the preliminary work. [Stephane De Sakutin/Pool/AFP]

A part of the nave is seen through a safety net during preliminary work in the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral three months after a major fire on July 17, 2019 in Paris. French MPs on July 16 approved a — Images of the ancient cathedral going up in flames sparked shock and dismay across the globe, as well as in France, where it is considered one of the nation's most beloved landmarks. [Stephane De Sakutin/Pool/AFP]