France's Macron sees Notre Dame cathedral's restoration more than 5 years after it was gutted by fire
CBSDec 07, 2024
The restoration project mobilized roughly 2,000 craftspeople, including stonemasons, carpenters, sculptors, and organ builders, who worked to restore the 12th-century Gothic masterpiece after a devastating fire in April 2019.The historic Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris is set to reopen on December 7, 2023, following an extensive five-year restoration project that cost approximately 700 million euros ($739 million) funded through donations from 150 countries.
The renovation included cleaning 42,000 square meters of stone, restoring 8,000 organ pipes, rebuilding the wooden framework roof known as 'the forest,' and reconstructing the 96-meter-tall spire that collapsed during the fire.The restoration project mobilized roughly 2,000 craftspeople, including stonemasons, carpenters, sculptors, and organ builders, who worked to restore the 12th-century Gothic masterpiece after a devastating fire in April 2019.
Modern safety features have been discreetly integrated into the restored cathedral, including thermal cameras, fireproof barriers, and a misting system capable of delivering 600 cubic meters of water per hour.The renovation included cleaning 42,000 square meters of stone, restoring 8,000 organ pipes, rebuilding the wooden framework roof known as 'the forest,' and reconstructing the 96-meter-tall spire that collapsed during the fire.
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The modernization efforts and rapid reconstruction timeline may have compromised the cathedral's historical authenticity, with some original medieval elements lost forever and new materials and techniques potentially altering the building's character.