Notre Dame Cathedral Reopens After Fire Repairs
On April 15, 2019, the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral–one of the world’s most famous churches–was partially destroyed by a fire. Five years and nearly $1 billion later, the 800-year-old World Heritage Site will reopen to the public this month. Here, btw takes a closer look at what it took to restore the landmark and what people can expect from the grand reopening.
What Happened?
The Notre Dame cathedral is more than 800 years old and draws more than 13 million visitors each year. But in 2019, a fire broke out in the attic at around 6:30 pm and spread throughout the night. By the next morning, the cathedral’s iconic rooftop and roof spire had collapsed. Many of the cathedral’s historic windows, paintings, and tapestries were damaged. Luckily, no one was injured, and the main structure, bell towers, and priceless religious relics survived.
Donations to assist in the repairs began pouring in immediately from around the globe. At the time, French President Emmanuel Macron set a goal of restoring the cathedral within five years. No one thought this timeline was possible. But now, the building is scheduled to reopen to the public on December 8, 2024–about five and a half years after the fire.
What Was the Renovation Like?
1,200 artisans worked on the restoration of the cathedral, which cost nearly $1 billion. At least 1,300 stones were used to restore the walls and vaults. The roof spire was especially challenging to reconstruct. The original was constructed of 500 pounds of timber coated with 250 tons of lead. The goal was to make the new spire look exactly like the old one. So, lead carpenter Patrick Jouenne went through the blueprints and documents from 1858 to achieve the desired effect.
Not everything is 100 percent finished yet. Some of the work will continue after the reopening, including the installation of stained-glass windows, and a lot of the landscaping leading up to the cathedral. It is estimated that this work will be fully completed in 2027.
What Will the Reopening Be Like?
On December 7, the day before the grand re-opening, there will be an official reopening. It will be a liturgical celebration that includes the “awakening” of the organ. The following morning, the first new religious service will take place at 10:30 am, and include the blessing of the altar. Neither of these events will be open to the public.
The first public mass will be held on December 8, 2024, and broadcast on France TV. Special services and celebrations are planned for every day of the first week. For example, December 12 will be the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe for the Latin American community. After that, several other cultural events will be held, including concerts, photo exhibits, and the minting of a special commemorative coin. The 2024-25 Sacred Music at Notre-Dame de Paris concert season will include fifty concerts.
A centerpiece of the reopening is the return of the statue of the Virgin Mary. Since early November, the statue has been travelling around France, stopping at various hospitals and churches. On November 15, there was a procession held to mark the return of the original statue to the cathedral.
Because so many visitors are expected, the route that visitors take has been completely redesigned. In addition to the historic restoration, there will also be some new features, such as a new roof, three new bells, a new spire, 1,500 new oak chairs, and a new altar. In addition, centuries of grime were cleaned away. Today’s cathedral is much brighter and lighter than it was five years ago.