Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris held its first mass in five years on Sunday (December 8). Reopened to the world In a grand ceremony featuring firefighters, world leaders and artists.
Originally built in the 12th century, the cathedral was closed in April 2019 after a devastating fire. In the last five years, it has seen a frenzied renovation process that has attracted considerable global attention. Let’s explain.
Why was Notre Dame Cathedral restored?
In 1160, Notre Dame was envisioned by the Bishop of Paris, Maurice de Sully, as a grand Gothic cathedral to accommodate the city’s growing population. Construction began three years later and is believed to have been completed by 1260.
It underwent regular maintenance and renovation works in the following centuries, and was the site of King Napoleon’s coronation in 1804. Apart from its architectural beauty, it is also counted among the enduring symbols of French culture.
On April 15, 2019, a fire broke out in the attic and was not detected until it was too late, allowing the fire to spread to the roof and spire (the conical structure projecting upwards). About 600 firemen controlled the fire for 15 hours. Valuable artifacts such as round-stained glass windows, known as lace roses, which date back to the Middle Ages, survived.
Tuesday, April 16, 2019 The damaged interior of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. (The New York Times via Christophe Petit Tesson/Pool)
However, a set of wooden roof beams and a spire, called a jungle, were also destroyed. Furthermore, the spread of the fire engulfed the interior in a cloud of lead dust, expanding the scope of the restoration work required.
While the investigation into the cause continues to this day, French authorities have found no evidence of arson. It is suspected that the fire started during the immediate restoration work on the head. A day later, President Emmanuel Macron inspected the damage and promised to restore the cathedral to its full glory within five years.
Important elements of the reconstruction process
Fundraising: Macron announced a national fundraising campaign in April 2019, in which the French government will lead the reconstruction. However, some of the country’s wealthiest families, such as the Pinault family, which owns luxury group Kering, and the magnate Arnaults, who control Mott Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), have donated hundreds of millions of euros.
According to a Financial Times According to the report, the largest donors contributed more than two-thirds of the budget, although 340,000 people from 150 countries contributed. 840 million euros have been collected so far.
Although these donations were suspected to be motivated by financial gain, some families chose to forego the resulting tax benefits. Donors were regularly informed of the status of their contributions, although their input was not solicited for action.
Establishment of a separate entity: In January 2020, Macron established Rebatir Notre-Dame de Paris, the state agency tasked with restoration. Headed by retired general Jean-Louis Georgelin, the agency operated autonomously and reported directly to the Elysee Palace, the seat of the president. Georgelyn was reportedly selected for her no-nonsense approach and ability to cut through red tape.
However, the process was delayed due to the onset of the Kovid-19 pandemic and his death in 2022.
Envisioning a restored cathedral: Macron has advocated on various occasions to modernize aspects of the cathedral, though heated debate ensued. His efforts bore mixed results: the restored spire is faithful to the neo-Gothic vision of 19th-century architect and restorer Eugene Viollet-le-Duc. However, the original stained glass windows that were salvaged and restored were replaced with modern ones made by contemporary artists.
About 2,000 masons, restorers, carpenters, art experts and engineers were employed in the process.
What are the characteristics of the restored cathedral?
Limestone walls cleaned: The walls of the cathedral, which span 40,000 square meters of limestone, were thoroughly cleaned and restored, with most of the masonry work repaired. BBC Report.
Restored wood roof: About 1,200 suitable oak trees were felled in the forests of France to make the wooden roofs, cut and shaped by hand by carpenters.
Restored Spire: The reconstruction of the 96-meter-long spire relied on massive wooden foundations and used Europe’s largest crane. The roof is encased in glass like the rest of the roof and features a new golden rooster. BBC. The vault contains sacred relics, such as thorns from the cathedral’s Crown of Thorns, and parchments with the names of the 2,000 people who worked on the renovation.
Great Organ: Notre Dame has France’s largest musical instrument, the Great Organ, built in 1905 by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll. It has 8,000 pipes, five keyboards and 109 stops. The entire structure was dismantled and sent to Paris workshops for its restoration. Each part was recovered several months after the reinstallation. The organ now includes new electronic controls.