PARIS (AP) — After more than five years of reconstruction, Notre Dame Cathedral showed its renewed appearance on Friday, with restored roofs and creamy stonemasonry that erase the memories of the devastating 2019 fire.

The live images of a visit to the site by French President Emmanuel Macron showed the interior of the iconic cathedral as the faithful may have experienced it in medieval times, with its wide and open spaces filled with bright light on a cool and sunny winter day that illuminated the vibrant colors of the stained glass windows.

Outside, the monument remains a construction site, with scaffolding and cranes. But the renovated interior - shown in all its splendor for the first time on Friday before the public can return on December 8 - turned out to be impressive.

The masons fixed the roofs that were destroyed

The huge holes that the fire opened in the vaulted ceilings, leaving piles of charred debris, are no longer there. New stonework has been carefully assembled to repair and fill the wounds that had left the interior of the cathedral exposed to the elements. Delicate golden angels observe from the center of one of the reconstructed ceilings, rising again above the transept.

The bright cream-colored limestone walls of the cathedral look new, clean not only from the fire's dust but also from the dirt that had accumulated over centuries.

The cathedral used to attract millions of faithful and visitors annually before the fire on April 15, 2019, which forced its closure and turned the monument at the heart of Paris into a restricted area, accessible only to craftsmen, architects, and others involved in the reconstruction.

Macron entered through the gigantic and intricately carved front doors of the cathedral and looked up at the ceilings in awe. He was accompanied by his wife, Brigitte, the Archbishop of Paris, and others.

New and old techniques were deployed

Powerful vacuum cleaners were first used to remove the toxic dust released when the fire melted the lead roofs of the cathedral.

Then thin layers of latex were sprayed onto the surfaces and removed a few days later, taking the dirt with them. Cleaning gels were also used on some painted walls, removing many years of accumulated dirt and revealing their bright colors once again.

The carpenters worked by hand like their medieval counterparts as they carved giant oak beams to rebuild the roof and spire that collapsed like a flaming spear in hell. The beams bear the marks of the carpenters' labor, with dents made in the wood by their hand axes.

About 2,000 oak trees were cut down to rebuild roof structures so dense and intricate that they are nicknamed "the forest".

It's a preview before the reopening.

Macron's visit marked the beginning of a series of events that signal the reopening of the 12th-century Gothic masterpiece.

Macron will return on December 7 to deliver a speech and attend the consecration of the new altar during a solemn mass the following day.

The Macron government is hailing the reconstruction as a symbol of national unity and French know-how.