DAY 15.1 | First look at Notre-Dame’s breathtaking restoration five years after fire

The nave of Notre-Dame cathedral. Some 250 companies and hundreds of experts were mobilized for the five-year restoration costing hundreds of millions of euros. Stéphane de Sakutin/AFP/Getty

The choir stalls of Notre-Dame on November 29. Stéphane de Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images

A general view of the refurbished interior of Notre-Dame. Christophe Petit Tesson/AFP/Getty Images

The south rose window, offered as a gift by King Louis IX (1470), has been restored to its full glory. It’s not the first time it’s been rebuilt, had to be reconstructed in the 18th and 19th centuries too. Stéphane de Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images

A bronze tabernacle is seen on architect Viollet-le-Duc’s altar and the statues that make up the Vow of Louis XIII. Stéphane de Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images

A detailed view the inside of Notre-Dame cathedral. Stéphane de Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images

A technician works at the reconstruction site in July 2022. Geoffroy Van der Hasselt/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

An aerial view shows the widespread damage to the cathedral in April 2019. Before the fire, the roof was nicknamed “the forest” because it was made with oak trees from across France. It was the epicenter of the blaze before it collapsed, according to the French government. AP

The steeple and spire collapse as the roof of the Notre-Dame burns. Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt/AFP/Getty Images

The resurrection of Notre-Dame – the treasured Gothic gem in the heart of Paris struck by a devastating fire in 2019 – has been a closely guarded secret. Few had seen the meticulous work of architects, artisans and master craftspeople who have carefully brought the cathedral back to life. Until now.

On Friday, the world got the first glimpses of the revamped World Heritage Site ahead of its grand reopening on December 7 and 8.

Many will remember watching in horror five years ago as bright orange flames engulfed the 860-year-old Gothic cathedral, its famed spire toppling from the Paris skyline.

Fast forward 2,055 days, the seemingly impossible has been achieved and the €700 million ($737 million) restoration is complete. (CNN, November 29, 2024)

720p

Disclaimer

No copyright infringement is intended. I do not own nor claim to own the rights to the above content. If you are the rightful owner of material (photos, videos, artwork, product) posted to this non-profit blog and want it removed or credited, please contact me at mynarrowcorner@gmail.com, and your material will be promptly removed or credited.