Notre-Dame Cathedral stands on a small island in the middle of the Seine River in Paris, France. Construction began in 1163 and took nearly two hundred years to complete. For over eight centuries, the cathedral has been one of the most visited landmarks in the world. Thirteen million people toured it each year. On April 15, 2019, a fire broke out in the attic. The wooden roof, made of oak beams cut from trees in the 1200s, burned quickly. The cathedral's tall spire, which stood 300 feet above the ground, collapsed in flames. Millions of people watched on television. Many wept in the streets of Paris. Firefighters worked through the night. They saved the two bell towers and the stone walls. They also rescued many treasures inside, including a crown of thorns believed to be nearly two thousand years old. Within days, people from around the world donated over one billion dollars to rebuild the cathedral. The restoration used traditional methods: oak beams were hand-carved by craftspeople using medieval techniques. Workers rebuilt the spire to match the original design. The restored cathedral reopened in December 2024. The fire showed how deeply people connect to historic places.