A Look Under the Restoration: Notre-Dame Cathedral reveals its renewed beauty
The Cathedral, over 850 years old, is one of the most iconic and famous churches globally. The building, built in the Gothic style, is a tribute to the Virgin Mary.
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Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France is one of the most iconic and recognizable churches in the world. Construction on this Gothic cathedral began in the 12th century and took nearly 200 years to complete. Unfortunately, in 2019, the Cathedral was damaged by a fire that caused devastation to much of the structure. The fire resulted in the destruction of the roof and main tower. In addition, other parts of the structure, such as the vaults and rose windows, suffered significant damage.
History
Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral is a building dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Its construction took place between 1163 and 1345, and is located on the Île de la Cité, on the Seine River, in the center of Paris. Before that, the site was home to the ancient Roman city of Lutetia, which developed on the ruins of an ancient Celtic place of worship, later transformed into a temple dedicated to Jupiter and, finally, a church dedicated to Saint-Étienne, dating from the 6th century AD
In 1160, Bishop Maurice de Sully decided to replace the old Romanesque building with a new, larger and taller church. Construction began in the choir, following tradition, and progressed towards the nave, in an east-west direction, from 1163. Among the builders were men who worked on the renovation of the basilica of Saint-Denis, driven by Abbot Suger, which influenced the Gothic architecture of the cathedral.
Fire
On April 15, 2019, the Cathedral, with more than 850 years of history, was consumed by flames, reaching its ceiling and causing the collapse of its iconic central tower. So far, the causes of the fire have not yet been determined, but there are assumptions that they may be related to the restoration work that was underway in the building at that time. The fire is estimated to have started at 6:50 pm Paris time in the attic of the cathedral, close to the closing time for tourist visits. According to reports, the doors of the cathedral were abruptly closed, preventing the exit, and white smoke began to come out of the roofs.
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The white smoke turned to black, signaling a large fire inside the cathedral. The flames consumed the upper part of the building, including the two bell towers and the central spire. At the time, the height of the building presented challenges to firefighters, especially in the higher areas of the cathedral. Two firefighters managed to reach the second floor of one of the towers, taking hoses with water with them, in an attempt to control the fire more quickly. However, they were unable to prevent the total collapse of the roof of the cathedral's nave and the building's main tower.
Restoration
Notre-Dame Cathedral has since been in the process of restoration. A team of conservation, architectural and engineering experts lead efforts to reconstruct the structure, seeking to ensure that the restoration is carried out faithfully to its original form. So the team decided to rebuild the cathedral exactly as it looked in the past, including the reproduction of the 96-meter-high tower, which was added in the 19th century by architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc.
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The first phase of the restoration involved removing the debris caused by the fire and stabilizing the structure. The second step involved rebuilding the roof using a new wooden structure. The third stage consists of restoring the damaged areas of the cathedral, known as the "five wounds", located in the central nave and side chapels. This process encompasses efforts to restore the structure, rebuild lost elements and incorporate new technologies to ensure the safety and durability of the cathedral in the future.
Discovery
During this period, an astonishing discovery occurred a short distance from the surface of the Cathedral. A lead sarcophagus and several tombs were found. The lead sarcophagus, considered the best preserved discovered at the site at that time, revealed significant archaeological remains, suggesting a possible dating to the 14th century. These traces were found at the meeting point between the central corridor of the nave and the lateral structure (transept) of the cathedral.
Sarcophagus
Excavations at the Cathedral began with the purpose of installing a scaffold approximately 100 meters high, with a view to rebuilding the tower. During this work, a complete underground heating system dating back to the 19th century was revealed. Among the structures built with bricks, a sarcophagus was found whose lead lid was deformed under the weight of earth and stones.
Just a few meters away from the metal structure installed, archaeologists were intensely engaged in the excavation of another find of immense value: the remains of an ancient jubé, also known as a high choir. The jubé consists of a stone structure richly decorated with figures that, over the centuries, separated the choir from the church. The Notre-Dame jubé was erected around 1230 and suffered its destruction in the early 18th century. This specimen is the best preserved ever discovered at the site. The Catholic Church has changed its liturgy over the centuries, and this altar, which separated the faithful from the office, has lost its meaning, experts explained.
The discovery of this sarcophagus enabled a greater understanding of funeral practices and rituals in the Middle Ages. Although it is not the first set of human remains found in Notre-Dame, which has served as a cemetery since its construction, especially for those responsible for the temple and religious personalities, never before has a sarcophagus been found in the Cathedral so well preserved.
Notre Dame currently
The restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral is a process that will take time and require the participation of specialists in architecture, engineering, conservation and heritage restoration, professionals who use techniques that require meticulous care, in order to preserve the authenticity of the original structure, while using modern techniques and more durable materials to ensure the safety of the cathedral in the future and so that it remains an iconic symbol of the city of Paris and a cultural and religious treasure of great importance.
Currently, it is not feasible to enter the cathedral due to the ongoing renovations, however, the external visit is allowed, giving the chance to contemplate the progress of the restoration. There is still no exact date set for reopening to the public. It is estimated that the works will be completed in 2024.
