UPDATE TO OUR AUGUST 2020 BLOG POST: RESTORATION OF NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL IN PARIS, FRANCE©

On April 15, 2019, the world watched in disbelief and horror the live global news reports of a massive fire engulfing Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris built in the 12th Century.  The fire caused much of the roof to collapse and the church's 160-year-old Gothic spire to topple.

It has been determined that the likely cause of the fire was an electrical short.

Immediately after the fire, France's President Emmanuel Macron pledged that the Cathedral would be restored and rebuilt within 5 years.  Numerous challenges have hampered the process, however, including lead contamination and physical access to areas of the interior necessary to the repair work.

Now, almost 2-1/2 years later, almost halfway through the overall process, here is an update from the December 26, 2021 news segment on CBS Sunday Morning:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuMa_Aiz1gk

Scaffolding covers much of the interior and the exterior.The "stabilization" part of the process has been completed, and the "restoration" process now will begin.  The goal is to restore the structure by using the exact same materials as were originally used in the Middle Ages, including stone of the same density obtained from local quarries.

  

Wood beams which will provide the "lattice-work" of support for the roof of the church and for a new spire are currently being obtained by cutting down 1,000 oak trees, each at least 100 years old, from nearby forests.  Although many of the original stones can be re-used, burned wood obviously must be replaced.

Interestingly, there have been some surprising discoveries during the process.  By looking at isotopes within the charred wood, much information is being revealed about the climate during the Middle Ages.

While adhering to the past in the materials being used, modern technology is assisting in all aspects of the overall process.  Digital imaging taken before the fire help with understanding how the Cathedral was originally constructed and where stones were placed for support.

To read our August 2020 Snobby Tours® Travelblog article on the Notre Dame Cathedral, and in particular the restoration of its Grand Organ following the 2019 fire, link to: https://snobbytours.blogspot.com/2020/08/notre-dame-cathedral-grand-organ.html

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