Readying the cathedral that quickly wasn’t considered possible after the devastating fire that ignited in the ancient wooden attic timbers of the noble, historic structure. But French President Emmanuel Macron, in acknowledgment of the importance of the cathedral to France, decreed that it would reopen in just five years.
It was thought to be crazy—frankly, impossible—with experts saying reconstruction would take at least 40 years, but, Macron said, “This is a sort of metaphor of what our societies, and especially our democracies, need: Make possible the unthinkable.”
And that—nothing less than a massive, monumental undertaking, with the charitable help of the whole world—is exactly what they have done.
In all, 2,000 artisans toiled night and day to complete the renovation.
The cathedral, the beating religious heart of Paris and France itself, caught fire on April 15, 2019, in a blazing conflagration televised throughout the world, bringing gasps and tears to the eyes of the faithful.
They were watching the very destruction of an ancient monument, whose construction began in 1163 and was completed in 1345, in 182 years—177 years more than was required for the recent reconstruction.
Notre Dame is a towering building, measuring 420 feet long and 157 feet wide, with a roof 115 feet high, a tower of 226 feet and a soaring spire reaching 315 feet in the air. It is not the oldest cathedral in the world, but is unequalled in its architectural splendor and sheer beauty.
Restoration was made easier by a near miraculous stroke of luck: The vaulted ceiling of the cathedral kept most of the collapsed spire and burning roof from falling into the interior and causing extensive destruction there, which is why the altar, the two massive pipe organs and the three beautiful stained-glass rose windows suffered little damage.
The relics of Notre-Dame de Paris—including what is believed to be the original crown of thorns worn by Jesus on the dark day of his crucifixion—survived the fire, as did several bells. A new spire has been constructed.
“It is a fire of resurrection.”
The reconstruction was a massive undertaking, involving over $800 million from 340,000 donors across 150 countries. Americans provided 45,000 donations, adding up to over $57 million.
In all, 2,000 artisans toiled night and day to complete the renovation. It took wood from 1,000 trees to replicate the roof frame and required the replacement of 1,300 cubic meters of stone.
Much of the reconstruction was done with traditional methods and materials like lead, stone and wood, which construction leader Philippe Jost said means the reconstruction could last even longer than the age of the cathedral—861 years.
“It’s authenticity—it’s the care to respect the monument,” Jost said. “We use the same materials, oak and stone, and with the same techniques.”
The new cathedral has taken on a modern, rather than strictly traditional, appearance. Most of the age-darkened gloominess is gone, with centuries of grime and smoke from the fire scrubbed off the pillars.
The rooster that had graced the spire weather vane was both a symbol of France and a Christian symbol, but a new golden rooster with flame-like wings resembling the phoenix has replaced it—an unmistakable sign of rising from the ashes to new life.
Chief architect Philippe Villeneuve said, “Since [the fire], we have worked on this rooster, [the] successor, which sees the flame carried to the top of the cathedral as it was before, more than 96 meters from the ground.”
He added, “It is a fire of resurrection.”
Where the old cathedral loomed with dark, gothic undertones, the reconstructed cathedral literally gleams with light—with repaired and cleaned rose windows and three new bells.
Macron swore an oath at the time of the fire, an oath which displayed the importance of the cathedral to the spiritual life of France, saying: “We will rebuild Notre Dame. Because that’s what the French expect and because it is what our history deserves.”
This was, of course, more than just another construction job—it was a labor of dedication, of passion, with every participant’s work at its creative best, and with all the depth of their faith behind it.
And new fire detection and suppression devices will ensure that the cathedral never need fear fire again.
Jost speaks with an awed respect about his team’s achievement. Unlike any other construction project, “in this monument there is a soul,” he said.
“We are all very proud of what we have done together.”
