SHOTLIST PARIS, FRANCE (APRIL 15, 2025) (ANADOLU-ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE SHOTS OF NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL, AUDIO OF CHURCH BELL (2 SHOTS) 2. CLOSE-UP OF PADLOCKS ATTACHED TO METAL FENCE OUTSIDE CATHEDRAL 3. VARIOUS OF VISITORS OUTSIDE CATHEDRAL, PEOPLE IN QUEUE WALKING INTO CATHEDRAL 4. WIDE SHOT OF CRANES OUTSIDE CATHEDRAL 5. (SOUNDBITE) (French) ESTONIAN ARTIST IRINA BELLAYE SAYING: "That day, I was at work — it was in the 15th arrondissement — and someone showed me a video and I thought it was an animation — I couldn’t believe it was real. But the person said, ‘No, no, no, it's live! It's really happening!’ And then… I couldn’t go back home. We prayed all night, and afterwards, I went to a friend’s house to spend the night. It was truly impossible to return home. It was incredibly sad. The whole world was crying — everyone. I was just across from Notre-Dame, right next to it… it was terrible. That smell and everything. And the last time I was there before the fire… it was a Sunday, and I remember — I went to a concert. That was just the night before the fire. The concert was amazing… I remember the huge stained-glass windows and everything.And now, when I went back in, everything was white. Of course, it has changed a lot. I don’t know… I always think that restoration is a good thing. But when I first entered, I smelled a very, very strange odor — kind of synthetic. For the first 30 minutes, I kept noticing that smell. I don’t know what it was. After a while, you get used to it, but I just want to say — it was strange. Otherwise, everything was good. I went in for prayer — there was no queue like for the tourists, which was nice. It was all really well organized, just like before the fire.” 6. WHITE FLASH 7. (SOUNDBITE) (French) ESTONIAN ARTIST IRINA BELLAYE SAYING: “And I think it’s become even more famous. It was already known worldwide. But now, I saw the queue before going in — it was huge. And so many people were interested, of course. Even for prayer, I saw people from all over the world praying in different languages. It was… it was very heartwarming. And there were just so, so many people." 8. (SOUNDBITE) (French) UNIVERSITY STUDENT WENDY REAL-WITZ SAYING: "Today I had the chance to visit Notre-Dame again, and especially to admire the Crown of Jesus. It's my second time, and honestly, it's very impressive. Unlike other cathedrals one might see, here you can clearly tell that there have been few changes — if I can say that — even though we didn’t get to see it in person before the fire. You can definitely feel that modifications were made inside, but they tried as much as possible to remain authentic and to preserve a certain… authenticity, a kind of spirituality that also helped create the masterpiece it is today. So it’s truly impressive, and as you can see today, I think it welcomes millions of people, especially during this Easter season. It’s really nice to be able to invite others to see this cathedral now that it has reopened.” 9. WHITE FLASH 10. (SOUNDBITE) (French) UNIVERSITY STUDENT WENDY REAL-WITZ SAYING: “Yes, well honestly, I understand… I understand the influence it has. It has always been a very well-known monument in Paris, so of course it’s very touristy. But you can see that everything has been put in place to welcome as many people as possible — including the option to book tickets online, even if that’s not always easy. And having stood in line today, it’s true that it moves fairly quickly. There’s a good flow of people, so it’s quite enjoyable to be able to take your time and not feel rushed. At least, we had enough time to enjoy the visit." 11. (SOUNDBITE) (French) CHINESE TOURIST VIOLA SAYING: “Hello, I’m Viola, I come from China. I’m here to visit the cathedral. Now, there are many more people than six years ago." PARIS, FRANCE - APRIL 15: As Notre Dame Cathedral continues to draw visitors from around the world after reopening to the public, visitors shared powerful emotions and memories, highlighting the deep cultural and spiritual significance of the Parisian landmark. Irina Bellaye, an Estonian artist based in France, said she was living right next to Notre-Dame at the time of the fire. "Someone showed me a video and I thought it was an animation — I couldn’t believe it was real . We prayed all night, and afterwards. It was incredibly sad. The whole world was crying…it was terrible. That smell and everything," Bellaya recalled, adding that she attended a concert at the cathedral just one night before the fire broke out. Returning to the cathedral for the first time since its reopening, Bellaye described her experience inside the renovated structure. She said everything was white and there was a strange synthetic smell inside the cathedral at first. “Everything was good. I went in for prayer — there was no queue like for the tourists, which was nice. It was all really well organized, just like before the fire. And I think it’s become even more famous. It was already known worldwide,” added Bellaya. Wendy Real-Witz, a university student living in Paris, also visited the cathedral for the second time since it reopened. "You can definitely feel that modifications were made inside, but they tried as much as possible to remain authentic and to preserve a certain… authenticity, a kind of spirituality that also helped create the masterpiece it is today,” she said. Tourist Viola, who traveled from China, remarked on the large crowds. "There are many more people now than six years ago," she said, capturing the growing interest in the restored monument. These visitor testimonies came just after French President Emmanuel Macron awarded the National Order of Merit to individuals who contributed to the cathedral’s restoration. At a ceremony held in Paris, Macron praised the collective effort as a symbol of national strength and unity, saying the project “demonstrates what a nation is capable of achieving.” The Notre Dame Cathedral suffered a devastating fire on April 15, 2019, which destroyed its iconic 96-meter spire and much of the roof. The cause of the fire remains unknown. Following the tragedy, authorities launched a two-phase restoration project. The first phase, completed by September 2021, focused on structural stabilization. Full restoration work continued through November 2024, despite delays due to lead contamination and the COVID-19 pandemic. The cathedral officially reopened to the public on December 8, 2024, following a formal ceremony attended by 40 world leaders, including Macron, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Built between the 12th and 14th centuries, Notre Dame has been a symbol of Paris for centuries. Before the fire, it drew around 11 million visitors annually. Since reopening, the cathedral has once again become a hub for both religious worship and global tourism. Reporting by Seyma Yigit, Esra Taskin Writing by Sibel Uygun