Restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral, damaged by fire in 2019, is nearing completion.
As Euronews notes, the cathedral is expected to reopen to visitors by the end of 2024. After five years of restoration following a devastating fire, one of France’s most famous landmarks gradually returns to life. In April 2019, a fire destroyed the cathedral’s roof and spire, sparking a wave of solidarity worldwide.
Since then, the cathedral has gone through many stages of restoration, including delays due to the pandemic and the departure of the project leader.
Here is the chronology of restoration events:
April 2019: A fire at Notre Dame Cathedral causes the roof and spire to collapse and destroy the interior, sparking a global wave of support. French President Emmanuel Macron promises to complete the restoration within five years.
June 2020: The pandemic is slowing restoration efforts, but removing the charred scaffolding surrounding the spire during previous restoration efforts is a significant step.
August 2020: Work begins on the restoration of the organ, the sound of which once filled the entire cathedral — the largest musical instrument in France. The organ survived the fire but was covered in toxic lead dust. Its disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly are expected to be completed this year.
March 2021: The first of an estimated 1,000 historic oak trees are selected from the Berce forest in the Loire region to restore the spire.
September 2021: Work to ensure the safety of the structure is finally completed after carpenters, scaffolding experts, climbers, and other specialists helped build temporary structures and a special huge “umbrella” protecting the towers, vaults, and walls of the roofless building. Preparations for the rest of the renovation begin.
Spring 2022: Glassblowers and locksmiths across France begin the labor-intensive process of cleaning and restoring the cathedral’s famous stained glass windows. Help is also coming from abroad: Cologne Cathedral in Germany is restoring four windows.
July 2023: Massive oak trusses are raised onto Notre Dame Cathedral, inviting Parisians to witness a magical moment intertwined with preparations for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
August 2023: France mourns the sudden death of General Jean-Louis Georgelin, the French army general who was appointed to lead the restoration. President Macron praises him as “the greatest soldier who dedicated himself to the restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral.”
December 2023: The golden rooster returns to the top of the cathedral spire, reimagined as a phoenix, symbolizing the rebirth of Notre Dame. The golden bird contains a time capsule containing religious relics, including parts of what is believed to be the crown of thorns of Jesus Christ.
February 2024: Scaffolding is removed to reveal the cathedral’s new spire, decorated with a golden rooster and cross. It provides a glimpse of the future as Notre Dame Cathedral approaches its new grand opening.
December 2024: Restorers express hope that the cathedral will be able to reopen by the end of the year.