Renovation efforts have been ongoing since 2019 to restore the 850-year-old Gothic building of Paris. The project aimed to preserve as many original features as possible, including stained-glass windows, statuary, and artwork. The renovation promises a breathtaking visual treat with highlights such as massive roof timbers replacing the medieval frame consumed in the fire.
Restoration Efforts
Renovation efforts have been ongoing since 2019 to restore the 850-year-old Gothic building. The first task of the project was to make the site safe and dismantle the massive tangle of metal scaffolding that had previously surrounded the spire but melted in the fire and fused with the stonework.
Modern Design Considerations
An appeal for new designs produced unusual ideas, including a glass roof, a green “eco-roof”, a massive flame instead of a spire, and a spire topped by a vertical laser shooting into the firmament. However, in the face of opposition from experts and the public, all these ideas were abandoned, and the reconstruction is essentially true to the original – though with some concessions to modern materials and safety requirements.
Preservation of Original Features
The restoration project aimed to preserve as many of the original features as possible. Thankfully, what was saved made a much longer list – including all the stained-glass windows, most of the statuary and artwork, and the holy relic known as the Crown of Thorns. The organ – the second biggest in France – was badly affected by dust and smoke but is reparable.
Modern Materials and Safety Requirements
The roof timbers are now protected with sprinklers and partitioning, ensuring a safer environment for visitors. This change reflects the incorporation of modern materials and safety requirements into the restoration project.
Macron’s Involvement
French President Emmanuel Macron has closely involved himself with the project, visiting the cathedral several times. He has tried to make the renovation of Notre-Dame a theme and a symbol of French unity and collective will-power.
Ceremonies and Official Reopening
A programme of ceremonies is planned, culminating in an official “entry” into the cathedral on December 7 and the first Catholic mass the next day. The president will give a speech of thanks to around 1,300 craftsmen and women gathered in the nave.
Notre-Dame’s Re-vamped Interior
The re-vamped interior has been kept a closely-guarded secret until now. People who have been inside recently say the experience is awe-inspiring, with a new clarity and brightness that mark a sharp contrast with the pervading gloom of before.
Miraculous Survivors
The cathedral clergy also celebrated certain “miraculés” – miraculous survivors. These include the 14th Century statue in the choir known as the Virgin of the Pillar, which narrowly avoided being crushed by falling masonry. Sixteen massive copper statues of the Apostles and Evangelists, which surrounded the spire, were brought down for renovation just four days before the fire.
Reopening Ceremony
The world gets a first look inside a resplendent new Notre-Dame on Friday, as France’s President Emmanuel Macron conducts a televised tour to mark the cathedral’s imminent re-opening. The president will give a speech of thanks to around 1,300 craftsmen and women gathered in the nave.
Experience Inside the Cathedral
People who have been inside recently say the experience is awe-inspiring, with the cathedral lifted by a new clarity and brightness that marks a sharp contrast with the pervading gloom of before. The interior has been kept a closely-guarded secret – with only a few images released over the years marking the progress of the renovation work.
Quotes
Renovation Efforts
The first task of the project was to make the site safe and dismantle the massive tangle of metal scaffolding that had surrounded the spire before the fire. A decision was made to faithfully recreate the medieval building and the 19th Century neo-Gothic changes wrought by architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, or to use the opportunity to mark the building with a modern imprint.
Saved and Damaged Structures
What was destroyed in the fire were the spire, the wooden roof beams (known as the “forest”), and the stone vaulting over the centre of the transept and part of the nave. There was also significant damage from falling wood and masonry, and water from firehoses.
However, what was saved made a much longer list – including all the stained-glass windows, most of the statuary and artwork, and the holy relic known as the Crown of Thorns. The organ, the second biggest in France, was badly affected by dust and smoke but is reparable.
Splendour and Strength of Collective Will-Power
The Elysée officials point out that the cathedral – like all French religious buildings under a law of 1905 – belongs to the state, with the Catholic Church its “assigned user.” They highlight that without Macron’s rapid mobilisation, the work would never have been completed so quickly.
First Look Inside Notre-Dame
On Friday, the world will get a first look inside the resplendent new Notre-Dame. The president – accompanied by his wife Brigitte and Archbishop of Paris Laurent Ulrich – will conduct a televised tour to mark the cathedral’s imminent re-opening.
A Breathtaking Visual Treat
The renovation promises to be a breathtaking visual treat, with highlights including the massive roof timbers that replace the medieval frame consumed in the fire. The experience is expected to be awe-inspiring, with a new clarity and brightness that mark a sharp contrast with the pervading gloom of before.
A Superb Shop-Window Internationally
The renovation promises to make Notre-Dame a superb shop-window internationally, showcasing France’s rich history and cultural heritage.
